Commercial law governs the broad areas of business, trade, commerce, sales, and consumer transactions. It also covers various issues of law, such as banking, contract, insolvency, credit transactions, real estate and others.

Our services include:

• Drafting of commercial contracts

• Negotiation and advice on commercial agreements

• Purchase and supply agreements

• Shareholders’ agreements

• MOIs

• Franchise agreements

• Partnerships

• Commercial leases

• Unlawful competition

• Trust purchase and sale of shares, business, transfer of interests in close corporations

• Insolvency

• National Credit Act

At Mindes, we don’t just send out letters and hope that debt is settled in a timely manner. Our commercial recovery attorneys use various proven techniques including investigation and litigation, and enforce judgments when necessary.

Our services include:

• Debt collections, including formal court processes and execution

• Credit agreements, repossessions, attachments and interdicts

• Magistrates court debt collections throughout South Africa, including the appointment of tracing agents for missing debtors

• Financial investigations, acknowledgements of debt, attachment and sale of goods

Our services include:

• Drafting deeds of sale

• Registration of property transfers (including single title, sectional title and estate transfers)

• Registration and cancellation of mortgage bonds

• Commercial and residential developments (sectional title and freehold)

• Registration of leasehold and servitudes

• Subdivision of property and land consolidations

• General notarial services including marriage contracts and trusts inter vivos

Our correspondent services offer comprehensive support ranging from single tasks to full-scale trial assistance across various jurisdictions, inter alia, the High Court (Western Cape Division, Cape Town), the Magistrates’ and Regional Courts in Cape Town, Bellville, Goodwood, Kuilsriver, and Wynberg.

Additionally, we extend our services to satellite offices located within a 15 km radius of the jurisdictions. All correspondent litigation matters are centrally managed from our office in Cape Town, ensuring streamlined and efficient handling of your legal needs.

Your family is the most precious thing in your life and therefore we safeguard its legal health from start to finish – from antenuptial contracts to wills. When relationships deteriorate, it can be an extremely fretful time for everyone involved. Then you can count on our legal advisors to take care of every matter with delicacy, respect and, of course, complete confidentiality.

Our services include:

• Divorce matters

• Parental Responsibilities and Rights

• Maintenance

• Antenuptial agreements

• Civil unions and cohabitation agreements

• Care and contact of minors

• Protection orders

• General family law advice

• Family law mediation

Don’t let labour disputes sideline your business, Minde Schapiro & Smith will ensure prompt and efficient assistance at short notice.

Our services include:

• Drafting of labour related contracts

• Advice and opinion drafting

• Forensic investigation

• Misconduct investigations and evidence gathering

• Initiating disciplinary proceedings

• Representation in the CCMA, Bargaining Councils and Labour Court

• Facilitating retrenchments, incapacity processes and poor work performance processes

• Advice and assistance with wage negotiation and other mutual interest disputes

The legal system depends on attorneys to advise their clients of their rights and to represent them in a way that best serves their interests. When it is necessary to enforce your rights, our knowledgeable litigation team will skillfully fight in your corner.

Our services include:

• Alternative dispute resolution

• Commercial litigation, including contractual, engineering and building disputes in specialised forums

• Civil matters that require litigation in the High Court, Regional Court or Magistrate’s Court

• Personal injury claims for losses and damages suffered

• Liquidations, insolvencies and business rescue matters

• Criminal law cases in the Regional and Magistrate’s Courts

• Arbitrations and mediations

• Construction and building disputes

• Family law, divorce, matrimonial property, parental responsibilities and rights and maintenance disputes

• Disciplinary hearings and administrative law related matters

Estate planning is a crucial legal exercise that will provide some comfort at a most difficult time. Our estate planning experts will carefully guide you on making the right decisions including settling any debts, taxes and administration costs, providing financial security for your family, appointing guardians for minors and protecting your business interests.

Our services include:

• Estate planning

• Drafting of wills

• Deceased estates administration

• Masters and deeds office searches

• Advice on all aspects of the law of succession

• Drafting and registration of inter vivos trusts