If you need to find out about business and commercial law in South Africa there are several different ways that you can go about this. There are a great number of very good lawyers and attorneys who will be happy to assist you with whatever you need in terms of the law and you can also find out any complicated legal information from them.
South Africa also has a great many professional and good lawyers courses and degrees at their universities.
What is business and commercial law in South Africa?
Business and commercial law is a specific branch of the law that governs and looks after business and commercial transactions. It works in both the public and the private sphere.
Within its compasses, commercial law deals with carriage by land and sea, merchant shipping, marine, fire, life and accident insurance, guarantee, principal and agent, partnership and bills of exchange. The commercial and business law also regulates hiring practices, the manufacturing and sale of consumer goods and corporate contracts.
Some laws that business and commercial law practitioners would refer to include privacy laws, safety laws (like the Occupational Safety and Health act) and medicine and food laws.
Finding the right law firm
The following law firms are great if you are looking for reliable business and commercial assistance.
It is important to choose a firm that specialises specifically in the field that you need assistance or advice in. General law firms, or firms that specialise in family law or something else, will not be right for you if you need business and commercial law assistance. Look into these law firms for top quality assistance and advice:
- Van de Merwe Attorneys
- S Niselow and Associates
- Werksmans Attorneys
- Bowman Gilfillan
- Du Toit’s Attorneys
- DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
What to keep in mind when dealing with commercial and business law
Often, companies will have their own expert or law practitioner who handles all of the smaller business and commercial law dealings. The more successful and intelligent companies will do their homework on how they are supposed to treat other businesses, their staff and their customers and will make sure to toe the line where they should.
However, if you are a customer, staff member or small business owner you should not feel daunted about going up against a large company in a legal matter. If they have conducted themselves in a way that is not lawful, then they should definitely serve the consequences.
You must do your research to find out if your claim will stand in court and you must make sure that you have as much evidence and proof as possible.
If you own a company and you have had legal action taken against you, or if you wish to take legal action on someone who has committed an unlawful act against you or your company, you should definitely consult a professional before going forward.
It is essential to first find out if you have a leg to stand on and what sort of battle you will be dealing with should you take your issue to court. Successful companies, while they might have a higher budget for legal fees than smaller companies or individuals, will often also have more to lose.
A company’s reputation is one of their biggest assets or liabilities. It would not be a good idea to let an issue get out of hand in the court if it will make your company look bad. This is why it is essential to find out the exact facts and to stick to the rules throughout the procedure.
A good, professional lawyer will be able to guide you in the right direction and stop you from doing anything that could harm your company.
Whatever attorney you choose to go with, it is always a good idea to do your own legal research so that you fully understand what is going on. Legal information will always come in handy, especially if you are a business owner or manager.