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Wilson. "It is not for the faint of heart in terms of small firms." While the thirst for Africa's resourc- es and development opportunities that come with modernizing the continent's infrastructure will see its overall econ- omy growing more rapidly than the developed West, the stubborn legacy of corruption remains a headache for investors and lawyers alike. "Africa is Africa and it is its own on the continent is not crucial to suc- cess there. "We tend to think of Africa as one large, homogenous place, but in fact it is a huge continent with many different cultures. So having an office in South Africa isn't necessarily going to be any help to you when you are doing business in Kenya." Beyond this country's well-known expertise in exploring, financing, and extracting natural resources, Canada has a large and potentially growing role to play in bringing Africa's infra- structure up to the standards much of the rest of the world takes for granted. With infant mortality and death from water-borne diseases still a scourge on the continent, infrastructure needs to start with water and go from there, says Judy Wilson, a Toronto partner with Blake Cassels & Graydon LLP. "You can imagine the big push on infrastructure," she says. "Water, waste water, even solid waste, hospitals, schools, and the pro- spective involvement in the private sec- tor in all of the above certainly presents big growth and an opportunity." Canadian expertise in public-pri- vate partnerships and operating infra- structure is well developed and now in its second generation, says Wilson. Her firm has worked on water and sewer infrastructure projects in Mozam- bique, Zambia, and South Africa as well as some study and analysis work on involving the private sector in pro- posed infrastructure in countries such as Kenya. At the end of the day, any push into Africa on the part of Canadian law firms favours larger, better capitalized, and staffed practices. "It takes a fair amount of strength in terms of size and the ability to deploy people," says 00181OZ-A23812-63461-CanLawyer.indd 1 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com OCTO BER 2011 338/18/11 9:18 AM worst enemy as a continent," says Stike- man's Kellerman. "Dealing in some of these countries for our clients is not easy. Whether it is the Ivory Coast or the DRC you are dealing with culture and you are dealing with politics, you are dealing with corruption. Its blessing has been its resources and it has been its downfall if you will for time imme- morial," he says. "That is not a scoop at this point." GAIN COMMAND IN ANY COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE DEAL NEW EDITION THE ART OF THE REAL ESTATE DEAL, 3RD EDITION BARRY D. LIPSON, Q.C. The Art of the Real Estate Deal, 3rd Edition is a clearly and concisely written guide, consolidating the various aspects of commercial real estate transactions in one volume. WHAT'S NEW IN THIS EDITION The third edition has been significantly expanded and updated to include the following: • A new section on the use of leverage in Chapter 2 – Property Valuation • A new section on break-even ratios in Chapter 3 – Risk Assessment • Updated pro forma for both subdivision and condominium development in Chapter 4 – Land or Site Valuation • A new section on acting in good faith in Chapter 8 – Preliminary Considerations • Substantial updates to Chapter 9 – Choice of Entity, relating to the acquisitions by a partnership and by a corporation, the tax consequences of each, and a new section on Joint Ventures • New precedents – partnership agreement and co-ownership agreement, and provisions relating to good faith and arbitrations AVAILABLE RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS Order online at www.carswell.com Call Toll-Free: 1-800-387-5164 In Toronto: 416-609-3800 ORDER # 983674-63461 $149 Softcover + CD-ROM approx. 380 pages July 2011 978-0-7798-3674-1 Shipping and handling are extra. Price subject to change without notice and subject to applicable taxes. The de beers grouP