- +27 83 639 0140
- admin@infralaw.co.za
- Infra Law (Pty) Limited (Reg No Reg No: 2026/071775/07)
About us
Claire Barclay
Founder and Director
Our Origins
Infra Law opened its doors in January 2026. It holds a Level 4 BBBEE Certificate
Claire Barclay is a leading infrastructure projects lawyer based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the director and founder of Infra Law (Pty) Limited. With more than 23 years of specialised experience, she is regarded as a trusted advisor on complex infrastructure and energy projects across Africa.
For over 15 years, Claire has held senior leadership roles—either as Director or Partner—at both a major South African law firm and an international global firm. Her career reflects deep technical understanding, commercial acuity, and a long-standing commitment to advancing impactful infrastructure across the African continent.
Her footprint spans South Africa and the broader African market, with extensive experience in East Africa and African Island states. Claire regularly supports clients navigating the complexities of cross-border projects, ensuring alignment with local regulatory frameworks while maintaining international best practice. Her thought leadership extends beyond legal practice. Claire is regularly invited to speak at conferences both in South Africa and internationally on infrastructure development and public sector procurement across Africa.
Across every project, Claire brings a combination of technical excellence, strategic foresight, and a practical, solutions-driven approach—helping clients deliver infrastructure that drives growth, resilience, and long-term value.
Claire Barclay is a leading infrastructure projects lawyer based in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the director and founder of Infra Law (Pty) Limited. With more than 23 years of specialised experience, she is widely recognised as one of Africa’s foremost advisors on complex infrastructure and energy projects.
For over 15 years, Claire has held senior leadership roles—either as Director or Partner—at both a major South African law firm and an international global firm. Her career reflects deep technical understanding, commercial acuity, and a long-standing commitment to advancing impactful infrastructure across the African continent.
Her footprint spans South Africa and the broader African market, with extensive experience in East Africa and African Island states. Claire regularly supports clients navigating the complexities of cross-border projects, ensuring alignment with local regulatory frameworks while maintaining international best practice. Her thought leadership extends beyond legal practice. Claire is regularly invited to speak at conferences both in South Africa and internationally on infrastructure development and public sector procurement across Africa.
Across every project, Claire brings a combination of technical excellence, strategic foresight, and a practical, solutions-driven approach—helping clients deliver infrastructure that drives growth, resilience, and long-term value.
Legal Industry Recognition
Claire is recognised by leading international legal directories for her expertise and impact in the infrastructure sector:
Legal 500 EMEA – Recommended for Projects & Infrastructure
IFLR1000 – Highly Regarded Lawyer in Transport Infrastructure
Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) – Recommended in Projects & Procurement every year since 2009
Best Lawyers (South Africa) – Recognised in Administrative & Public Law, Project Development, and Public Finance Management.
Legal Industry Recognition
Claire is recognised by leading international legal directories for her expertise and impact in the infrastructure sector:
Chambers Global (South Africa) – Ranked in Projects & Infrastructure
Legal 500 EMEA – Recommended for Projects & Infrastructure
IFLR1000 – Highly Regarded Lawyer in Transport Infrastructure
Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) – Recommended in Projects & Procurement every year since 2009
Best Lawyers (South Africa) – Recognised in Administrative & Public Law, Project Development, and Public Finance Management.
Why infrastructure matters to us
At Infra Law, we believe infrastructure is more than physical assets — it is the foundation of social and economic dignity. Quality infrastructure determines whether people can access clean water, reliable energy, safe transport, healthcare, education and economic opportunity. It shapes how communities live, work and thrive.
Infrastructure development sits at the intersection of law, governance and human rights. When planned, procured and delivered responsibly, infrastructure expands access to essential services, reduces inequality and strengthens the realisation of rights such as health, education, housing, mobility and a clean environment. When poorly designed or governed, it can entrench exclusion and undermine public trust.
Our work is driven by the conviction that well-structured, transparent and sustainable infrastructure is a catalyst for human development. By supporting governments, DFIs and private partners to deliver projects that are legally sound, equitable and future-focused, we help ensure that infrastructure investment translates into long-term social impact and improved quality of life across the continent.
Our clients
Infra Law advises on large-scale infrastructure concessions and public-private partnerships (PPPs) across the full project lifecycle—from early-stage structuring and procurement through to financial close. Our work spans complex, multi-jurisdictional mandates where clarity, precision, and strategic insight are essential.
Our clients include:
- Project companies and special-purpose vehicles
- Sponsors and investors
- Commercial lenders
- Contractors and operators
- Development finance institutions
- Governments and public sector institutions
- State-owned entities and regulators
Client feedback
"Claire Barclay demonstrates the ability to work with different professionals. Her solutions are legally sound and delivered in a business-friendly language."
"Claire Barclay is highly regarded for her "great strength in PPPs," with sources enthusing: "She's very, very good on public procurement and one of the leading lawyers in this area and PPPs. "She is widely recognised for her technical prowess, which she frequently deploys in her advice to governments on the drafting of PPP laws and regulatory frameworks. She also acts for sponsors and is notably active on road and social infrastructure projects. Clients consider her to be "professional, knowledgeable and client-focused."
“When it comes to procurement, Claire is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced."
Ranked (Band 4) – Projects & Energy
"Claire Barclay has an excellent record in economic and transportation infrastructure."
Ranked: Highly Regarded Individual for Project Development and Transport in Africa
Ranked for Administrative and Public Law, Project Development and Public Finance Management
Ranked: Recommended for Projects and Procurement
Our Legal Partners
Where a project requires it, we partner with experienced lawyers who are highly respected experts in their legal fields. Our recent collaborations include legal specialists with expertise in financing for projects: debt funding and equity investments, corporate structuring, construction law, environmental and property law and competition law.
Our African Regional Partnership Approach
Infra Law is committed to building deep, enduring relationships with leading firms across the continent. We collaborate with partners who are recognised experts in their markets and who share our values, sector focus and commitment to excellence. These relationships are cultivated at both firm and individual level, reflecting our belief that strong partnerships are essential to delivering high-quality, pan-African advisory services.
Our approach is grounded in shared principles that ensure trust, alignment and long-term value:
- Non-exclusivity— prioritising meaningful relationships over formal exclusivity or public association.
- Sector focus— partnering with firms whose expertise aligns with the sectors in which we operate.
- Frictionless collaboration— minimising administrative barriers to enable seamless teamwork.
- Relational reciprocity— valuing complementary strengths and mutual development, even where capabilities differ.
- Trust and collaboration— building relationships that extend beyond individual mandates.
- Permanency— investing in partnerships that endure and evolve over time.
- Fairness— ensuring equitable fee arrangements and balanced work-share.
These principles underpin our approach to African legal partners and reflect our commitment to delivering integrated, high-quality advisory support across the continent.
Chambers & Partners, 2025