COMPETITION LAW

We have 20 years experience in this field, which came into far greater prominence in South Africa under the Competition Act No. 89 of 1998, which came into effect in late 1999. This is a difficult and growing field, increasingly intrusive into the affairs of business. A company's time spent on taking advice, is time well spent. We guide clients through the requirements for:
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Merger notifications
  • Exemption applications
  • Interim relief applications
  • Objections to mergers
  • Complaints about business practices made to Competition regulator and of codes of company practice to avoid breach of the law.


ESTATE AND TRUSTEE LAW AND PRACTICE

The firms's Trustee department offers advice and service in the following:
  • estate planning
  • the drafting of wills
  • the winding up of deceased estates
  • the establishment of inter vivos family planning trusts
  • the establishment of charitable trusts
  • the establishment of trusts for property-owning purposes or any other purpose
  • the administration of trusts
  • advice on the powers and duties of executors and trustees


FRANCHISING AND LICENSING

We offer advice and service on franchising, franchising agreements, relationships between franchisor and franchisee and the licensing of products, services and knowhow.

INSOLVENCY

We offer a full spectrum of services to all those involved in insolvencies and also provide liquidation services. Our services include:
  • Voluntary and compulsory sequestration applications
  • Shareholder and creditor voluntary winding up applications
  • Compulsory winding up applications
  • Insolvency interrogation
  • Insolvency litigation
  • Business turnaround and reconstruction including offers of compromise and schemes of arrangement under Section 311 of Companies Act.
  • Rehabilitation of insolvent estates


LITIGATION

All aspects of commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution are covered with an emphasis on:
  • Property related disputes
  • Leasing
  • International property law
  • Banking law
  • Insolvent and deceased estates
  • Sport and entertainment disputes
  • Commercial matters


MATRIMONIAL AND FAMILY LAW

All aspects of family law and litigation including:
  • Antenuptial contracts
  • Maintenance
  • Divorce
  • Access
  • Custody
  • Minors� rights.


MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

We assist clients in legal requirements for mergers, acquisitions, purchases and sales of businesses and of rights, and we co-ordinate this field with related matters such as competition law and taxation as they affect the transactions.

PROPERTY LAW AND PRACTICE

The firm has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all aspects of property law and especially conveyancing. We offer advice and service on:
  • the purchase and sale of residential, commercial and industrial properties (both conventional land and sectional title)
  • property transfers of all types (including transfers for trust companies from deceased estates to heirs and from trusts to beneficiaries)
  • township development and consolidation and subdivision of land
  • opening sectional title registers, and attending to the registration of amending sectional plans
  • establishment of share block structures, and conversion of schemes from share block to sectional title
  • town planning and rezoning applications and appeals
  • registration of mortgage bonds of all types, and notarial bonds over movable property
  • notarial work of all types, including the registration of notarial leases, servitudes and usufructs
  • the influence of transfer duty, value added tax, donations tax and capital gains tax on all types of property transactions
  • the sale of members interests in property owning companies and close corporations
  • the establishment of trusts for property owning purposes


TAXATION

We advise clients on the various forms of tax levied on businesses and individuals including income tax, value added tax, secondary tax on companies and various duties. We are able to assist in the preparation and presentation of objections, appeals, appearances before the Special Income Tax Court, and negotiations with the Revenue authorities.

GAMBLING AND HORSE RACING



LABOUR LAW

We offer advice, experience and services in labour law, including:
  • workplace discipline
  • litigation in specialist labour law forums
  • labour disputes in local government
  • the drafting of labour contracts
  • implications of labour legislation on corporate restructuring
  • collective bargaining
  • industrial relations audits
  • all aspects of employment law
  • on-site training on all aspects of employment law


PENSION FUND LAW

We assist our pension clients with all advice, legal opinions, litigation and drafting relating to pension funds, including:
  • Advise on the application of fund rules
  • Acting as an independent trustee on funds
  • Advising clients on the interpretation of retirement fund legislation
  • Applications to the High Court against decisions of the Pension Funds Adjudicator
  • Advising on and amendment of Fund Rules
  • Communication strategies for pension funds