International Trade Law

Our attorneys have established themselves as the pre-eminent international trade attorneys in the region acting on behalf of local and foreign clients which includes multinationals, governments and institutions. The international trade law department focuses on all aspects of trade.

We have an international trade law practice that is specifically equipped, experienced and engaged to navigate your business interests through this complex legal and regulatory environment.
Our professionals specialize in the following areas of international trade law:

• Trade remedies – initiating or defending actions against dumping (low prices), countervailing measures (subsidies), safeguards (surge of imports);
• Transactional and regulatory advice on the importation or exportation of goods;
• Transactional and regulatory advice on providing services in foreign markets; 
• Transactional and regualtory advice on investments, including regulatory audits to ensure viable investments;
• Advice on establishing a presence in new markets, specifically Africa;
• Commercial agreements giving effect to trade relations;
• Related matters pertaining to South Africa’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) such as tariff investigations and tariff amendments (increase or reduction in customs duty), customs classifications and rebate applications;
• Interpretation of and advice on the multilateral trade regime of the WTO, African regional trading agreements (such as SACU, SADC & COMESA) and Free Trade Agreements (such as the SA-EU TDCA or the SADC-EU EPA)
• Import duties or tariffs: valuations, tariff planning, duty at source, rebates, drawbacks, sourcing of raw materials (rules of origin);
• Advice on trade law, the economic aspects of trade law, diplomacy and policy formulation to the public and private sectors in developing and least developed countries. In this regard our location lends a specific focus on the African subcontinent;
• Lobbying & trade negotiations advice;
• Advice on agricultural trade.

Investment Law

We are ideally placed to provide critical advice on your investment decisions in foreign markets. With our unmatched knowledge on the international investment law issues, our experience as corporate and commercial attorneys and our network of foreign lawyers we can minimise risks that may be present and provide advice that adds value to your affairs. Our list of investment law services include:

• Advising on the regulatory environment in which you will operate
• Advising on any barriers to entry
• Advising on securing the investment and protection against expropriation
• Negotiating and drafting the agreements needed to invest in a foreign market.

Corporate Law

We have extensive corporate law experience which includes advising on domestic and cross-border corporate transactions (mergers and acquisitions in particular), establishing businesses, drafting the necessary agreements, and performing due diligences. Our list of corporate law services includes:

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Shareholders Agreements / Memorandum of Incorporations
• Sale of Shares Agreements
• Sale of Business Agreements
• Competition Law
• Private Equity
• Corporate Finance
• Joint Ventures
• BEE Transactions
• Business Formation and Restructuring
• Regulatory Law
• Cross-border Transactions
• Partnerships
• Company formation and  amendments
• Company secretarial services

Commercial Law

Our attorneys advise on all areas related to our clients’ commercial endeavours which includes contract negotiations, drafting and providing general commercial law advice. We are particularly experienced in cross-border matters especially within the African continent. Our list of commercial law services includes:

• Management agreements
• Distribution agreements
• Financing agreements
• Surety agreements
• Lease agreements
• Construction agreements
• Sales agreements
• Franchise agreements
• Licensing agreements
• Confidentiality agreements
• Pledge, cession and assignment agreements
• Agency agreements
• Service level agreements
• Software development agreements
• Property development agreements
• Employment agreements
• Contract negotiations
• Advice on problematic terms and conditions

Dispute Resolution

As solutions driven attorneys we try and avoid dispute resolution. However if one must have a dispute we believe that there are far more cost-effective and expedient dispute-resolution mechanisms available than those offered by traditional litigation.

Through pre-dispute legal opinions, as well as contractual and regulatory advise, we seek to position our client in such a manner that litigation remains very much a last resort.

Where disputes are unavoidable, we possess the requisite experience and expertise to advise clients on the most cost-effective means for resolving disputes.