Cox Yeats

Cox Yeats a leading firm of attorneys which offers a wide range of commercial and personal legal services. To give the best service to our clients we believe that it is essential to understand their objectives and to deal with their legal affairs in the context of their overall requirements.

Our aim is therefore not simply to give the best technical advice, but also to contribute to the development of local and international clients strategy and policy. In giving advice we aim to provide practical and imaginative solutions to clients’ problems and to present what can often be complex topics in a clear and non-technical way.

To achieve this we ensure that our clients’ affairs receive the personal attention of the attorney responsible for the work in hand, while offering the client the facility of contacting other members of the firm who work in the same or similar fields of expertise. We avoid the rigid departmentalising of our professionals, as we believe that it is important that each of them should build up a wide knowledge and understanding of the client’s business.

Our professionals draw on the experience of others in their fields and from other groups within the firm to ensure that the objectives of the client are achieved. In this way we come to know the client’s needs and are able to provide a quick and comprehensive response in relation to any legal problems which may arise.

Proud history
Graham Cox established the firm in 1964. Jeremy Yeats joined him and became a partner in March 1967. A formidable team from the onset, they combined their passion for law with their astute business sense, and with the help of exceptional partners, a multi-award winning firm was born.

Cox Yeats is known for our boldness and, over the years, we have set industry benchmarks by changing perceptions and giving fresh and innovative counsel. We are proud of our history and how we are able to bring value to our clients by learning from the past in order to shape the future.

Unique approach
Part of the Cox Yeats legacy is our unique approach to service delivery, something that is still deeply embedded within the culture of the firm today. We believe that exceptional service is synonymous with sound personal relationships with our clients and is something we holds in high esteem.

Cox Yeats understands the value of mutual trust and cultivates it. We seek to understand the culture and practices of our clients in order to dovetail our advice with clients’ business strategies and legal requirements. We always aim to develop unique and customised solutions.

Expertise and diversity
A number of distinct characteristics define our firm in the disciplines in which we operate. When choosing Cox Yeats as your firm of choice, your business will have access to:

A reputable law firm
Cox Yeats has consistently been rated among the top legal firms in the country.

Top legal talent
Cox Yeats’ strength lies in the character and skill of our professionals, who are among the top legal talent in the country. They have the ability to work individually and, at the same time, have access to the diverse expertise of our different professionals through frequent collaboration.

Efficient solutions
Our professionals rapidly respond with efficient solutions, wasting no time or money. We understand that cost efficiencies are fundamental factors upon which strategic relationships are based.

B-BBEE Status - Level 2
Cox Yeats is committed to transformation and has obtained Level 2 accreditation with an accredited rating agency. Our BEE score also means that you can claim 125% of your legal procurement cost as Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) expenditure.

Service portfolio
Whether you are looking for professional advice or need an integrated legal partner, Cox Yeats is able to assist. We provide legal solutions across a wide range of industry sectors and disciplines in both the private and public sector.

Business law: Sound commercial legal services are critical to the success of any business. Central to Cox Yeats’ service offering is advising our clients on a full range of business transactions and issues, including:

• Management buy-outs
• Business trusts, partnerships and joint ventures
• Franchising, licensing and royalty agreements
• Share issues and listings on the Stock Exchange
• Lease transactions, including financial leases
• Product liability
• Trade agreements
• Investments both local and offshore
• Import and export transactions
• Debt restructuring
• Private equity

Competition law: Cox Yeats is able to provide expert advice on compliance with Competition Law in merger and acquisition transactions and in attending to the filing of merger notifications. Cox Yeats is also able to provide advice to clients on conduct which may be anti-competitive and in dealing with competition compliance.

• Advising on merger requirements
• Preparing merger notification documents
• Dealing with complaint proceedings
• Advice on compliance

Construction, engineering and infrastructure law: Through our experience in representing professionals in the built environment and large construction companies in South Africa and Africa, we have developed expertise in a variety of matters affecting the building and construction industries generally. Our specialist services include:

• Advice on different forms of construction contracts, guarantees and insurance
• The preparation and submission of claims
• Housing and development projects
• Public procurement
• Dispute resolution including mediation and arbitration
• Joint ventures
• Offshore contracts
• Project finance
• Professional appointments
• Professional negligence

Corporate mergers and acquisitions: Cox Yeats is a leader in KwaZulu-Natal in advising clients on structuring, negotiating, documenting and implementing complex commercial transactions. Our service offering includes:

• Company and group re-organisations
• Acquisitions and disposals
• Takeover, mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions
• Corporate formation
• Due diligence investigations
• Regulatory approvals
• Corporate governance

Empowerment and transformations: Cox Yeats has taken a leading role in KwaZulu-Natal in advising clients on black economic empowerment and transformation and have been closely involved in some of the largest BEE restructurings implemented within KwaZulu-Natal. Our services include:

• Advising on the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and its codes
• Advising on various transformation charters including the mining charter
• Setting up BEE structures
• Establishment of broad based ownership schemes

Insolvency and recovery assets: Cox Yeats has extensive experience in insolvency, schemes of arrangement and debt recovery, and has represented individuals, SME’s and large corporates in this regard. We apply our commercial and legal expertise to provide assistance with:

• Liquidations and sequestrations
• Cross-border insolvencies
• Business rescue
• Insolvency interrogations
• Perfecting securities
• Offers of compromise and schemes of arrangement

Intellectual property and IT law: As the world adapts to the developing trend of online trading, legislation is ever-changing. We specialise in IT law which is essentially navigating the technologies that underlie IT legal issues.

We advise clients on a broad range of different aspects relating to computer software, development and protection of computer software, access and control of digital information, internet privacy, security, internet access and usage and electronic commerce. Electronic commerce in turn includes all business transactions that are carried out through electronic means.

We can advise both corporate clients and private individuals on all aspects of trading online as well as regulatory aspects of telecommunications, broadcasting and media law. Our advice extends to all aspects of e-commerce, e-business, drafting IT agreements, terms and conditions, website maintenance, email policies, website usage policies and privacy policies, IT due diligence as well as interpretation and application of legislation affecting the IT Industry in general.

Labour law: In South Africa, compliance by employers with the various legislative Acts that govern labour-related matters is essential, leaving no room for leniency. Cox Yeats is able to represent and advise our clients on a wide front, providing a full range of industrial relations services including:

• Assisting with collective bargaining disputes and restructuring
• Employment Equity and Health and Safety compliance
• Chairing and initiating disciplinary/grievance hearings
• Managing retrenchments, strikes and lockouts
• Drafting Employment contracts and collective agreements
• Representation in CCMA Arbitration and Labour Court Litigation
• Labour Relations Training on IR

Litigation: Cox Yeats provides an efficient and cost-effective approach to the protection and enforcement of our clients’ rights through the use of Court procedures and alternative dispute resolution methods including conciliation, mediation and arbitration. We can assist with the following:

• Commercial claims
• Constitutional law matters
• Land claims
• Property disputes
• Professional negligence claims
• Product liability claims
• Maritime law claims
• Partnership disputes
• Insurance claims

Maritime law, international trade and marine insurance: Cox Yeats has extensive experience in the fields of Maritime and International Trade Law and Insurance. The firm has developed an excellent reputation in this field and draws on a large base of local and international clients. We deal with all aspects of shipping (“wet” and “dry”). This includes the rendering of legal advice, preparation of claims, ship arrests and litigation. The firm has acted for banks, brokers, charterers, clearing and forwarding agents, importers and exporters, ships agents, local and international recovery agents, shipowners, ship yards, trade associations, trading companies, transport intermediaries, P&I Clubs, cargo insurers and hull insurers. The work handled by the firm includes:

• Ship arrests
• Claims under bills of lading
• Charterparty disputes
• Collisions and other casualties at sea
• Salvage and general average
• Sale and purchase of ships and pleasure craft
• International contracts of sale and carriage
• Drafting and interpretation of insurance policies
• Marine insurance claims (cargo and hull)
• Non-marine insurance claims
• Claims against warehousemen, road and rail carriers
• Advice on letters of credit and international trade transactions
• Customs and port tariff disputes
• Advice on standard terms and conditions
• Litigation of claims
• Drafting of commercial agreements
• Claims against air carriers

Medical schemes: Medical schemes operate within the private health care funding sector in South Africa, which is distinct from private health insurance. The Medical Schemes Act is a unique piece of legislation worldwide in that in provides for open enrolment (subject to its rules, a medical scheme may not refuse to accept any person as a member or dependant), community rating (opposite of risk rating) and prescribed minimum benefits, which are designed to eliminate discriminatory practices sometimes found in private health insurance and set a minimum standard of benefits that all members and their dependents are entitled to.

Our experienced practitioners provide clients with sound, practical advice to guide them through the challenging regulatory environment of the medical schemes industry. Our services include:

• Administration
• Dispute resolution, litigation
• Drafting rules, funding policies, administration agreements, managed healthcare agreements, capitation agreements and agreements with healthcare providers
• Managed healthcare
• Medical scheme governance
• Privacy and data protection laws
• Prescribed minimum benefits
• Regulatory environment and the Medical Schemes Act, 1998

Natural resources and energy: Cox Yeats are specialists in all areas of natural resources and in the energy sector, particularly the renewable energy sector.

We offer the mining industry a diverse caliber of lawyers with strong industry experience throughout the natural resource sector and our attorneys are seasoned experts, well-versed in representing clients in the sugar, crop farming and timber industries. We provides counsel on:

• Structuring of mining companies so as to comply with the mining charter
• Transfer and conversion of mining rights
• Application for prospecting and mining rights
• Grant of surface rights
• Radiation
• Acquisition and protection of water rights
• Community claims to mineral rights and restitution
• The structure of the sugar, timber and crop farming industries
• Acquisition and protection of water rights
• Legal requirements for dams and irrigation schemes
• Licensing of genetic material
• Sale and purchase of crops and livestock
• Land claims and land tenure

Property services: Cox Yeats boasts some of the top property lawyers in South Africa. Our specialist team combines their knowledge and experience of property law and conveyancing with innovative ideas to maximise profit potential. Services include:

• Acquisition, sale and transfer of commercial, industrial and residential properties
• Leases, mortgages and servitudes
• Retirement home schemes
• Sectional title schemes
• Sectional title arbitration
• Share block developments and conversions to sectional titles
• Time-sharing operations
• Town planning, appeals and rezoning applications
• Township development and subdivision of land
• The impact of VAT on property transactions
• Home Owners Association/Communal Schemes establishment
• Operational issues
• Dispute resolution

Tax law: Cox Yeats has a high degree of specialisation in this field and is able to offer a comprehensive range of services on all matters relating to taxation. Our services include:

• Corporate tax planning
• Employee benefits
• Negotiations with revenue authorities
• Planning for the tax-efficient acquisition and ownership of plant, equipmenand other assets

Trust and estate planning: Cox Yeats adopts a proactive approach in listening to our clients’ needs and working closely with them to develop long-term personal and family goals. We have extensive experience in representing high net worth individuals and their families and providing clients with practical and sensible approaches to estate planning. By appointing Cox Yeats as your Executors of Wills or as your Administrator of Trusts, you can be certain that your requests will be carried out by discerning professionals who will apply absolute fairness and impartiality. Our services include:

• Setting up and administering trusts
• Estate planning
• Advice on the investment of trust funds
• Advice on the powers and responsibilities of Executors and Trustees and the interests of beneficiaries
• Wills
• Winding up of estates