Ashersons Attorneys | celebrating 100 years of practicing law in South Africa

Welcome to Ashersons Attorneys

Celebrating 100 years of practicing law in South Africa.

Established in 1920 by Raphael Asherson, Ashersons has become well known as a general practice offering its clients integrity and loyalty. Ashersons is a boutique practice catering for an exclusive range of both corporate and high nett worth individual clients throughout South Africa, Africa, Europe, America and Australia.

Our Law Firm in Cape Town specialises in civil litigation in the High Court, the Regional Court and the Magistrate’s Courts. Additionally, we provide comprehensive legal services including commercial property, conveyancing, franchising, aviation, outdoor advertising, matrimonial and family law matters as well as trusts and estates - to name a few.

Ashersons’ attorneys and staff pride themselves on delivering a comprehensive, personal and tailor made service to its clients. With fast turn around time, focus and attention to detail, Ashersons has maintained its reputation as a leading South African law firm.

One of our partners, Selwyn Zackon, gives a brief introduction into Ashersons Attorneys.

Ashersons Attorneys Video Introduction by Selwyn

Meet our professional team Contact Us

Our professional team of lawyers are ...

Proud to be part of a 100 year old firm

Ashersons was established in 1920 by Raphael Asherson. Since then, Ashersons has grown into a full service boutique legal practice. All of our professional team commenced articles at the firm. Our faithful receptionist, Fatima, has been at the firm for over 40 years and Golda, our conveyancing specialist who has since retired, worked at the firm for just less than 50 years!

Passionate about the law

In the same way that our bookkeepers are passionate about bookkeeping, our receptionist is passionate about communicating with people, and our tea lady is passionate about tea - all of our staff (professional and our amazing support team) are passionate about the law and about providing the best legal service possible to clients.

More than happy to go the extra mile

Going the extra mile is defined as doing more without being asked. We believe that going the extra mile for clients is important and sets us apart from the average law firm. We understand that people who are happy in their career are not only more productive, but they are more likely to go the extra mile - even when it is not asked or expected of them.

Aware that time is money and people are cost sensitive

According to the old proverb, “time is a valuable resource, therefore it's better to do things as quickly as possible.” We believe that being able to deliver a quality product at a reasonable fee is of utmost importance in ensuring a long-term relationship with clients. Doing something properly the first time saves not only time, but also money and patience.

Recent articles by our team

Every week we post an article which we think may be of interest to clients on a wide range of topics, including property law, estate planning, recent High Court cases, damages claims, liability claims, etc.

Shoprite Checker (Pty) Ltd v Mafate – a lesson on prescription (or the lack thereof)

March 7, 2023

Shoprite Checkers has lost a case at the Supreme Court of Appeal (‘the SCA’) over whether a claim filed by a curator ad litem, on behalf of a temporary worker who was left permanently mentally incapacitated at work, had prescribed. The worker, who, on 15 October 2014, suffered a freak accident at work which left her brain damaged, had a curator appointed to look after her affairs in February 20...

A “Running Down” Damages Claim – Elite Athlete v Happy Snapper

December 2, 2022

An elite runner competing in a race along Sea Point’s iconic Promenade collides with a pedestrian out for a Sunday walk with a friend. The pedestrian’s good deed – agreeing to take a group photo for some “Fun Walk” participants – lands her in hospital awaiting a hip replacement operation. She sues both the runner and the race organiser for R718,000 in damages, claiming they were negligent. Ther...

Your Employee Reaches Retirement Age and Wants to Keep Working – What Should You Do?

November 1, 2022

As even the youngest Boomers (the generation born between 1946 and 1964) approach the “Big Sixty”, an increasing number of employees will be thinking about whether or not they want to retire. And an increasing number of employers will be wondering whether to ask them to stay on or to retire them (and if so, when). Bear in mind that our law does not recognise any concept of a general “normal/sta...

It’s Wedding Season – Three Questions to Ask Before You Marry

November 1, 2022

Wedding Season is well and truly upon us, and if you (or anyone near and dear to you) is busy planning for marriage (note that we are talking “civil marriage” here, “customary marriages” and “civil unions” are beyond the scope of this article), you will have a long “To Do” List to work through. Venue, invites, catering, flowers, service, this, that, the other. The list goes on, and on… But no m...

Bond Clauses: Beware the Deadlines!

November 1, 2022

Here’s yet another reminder from our courts in Thokan v Kriegler and Another (40781/2018) [2022] ZAGPJHC 680 on the danger of not complying strictly with every provision in a property sale agreement. Don’t be like Douglas Adams and listen to the deadlines go whooshing by – missing a property sale deadline is a mistake, probably an expensive one. The deadline set by every bond clause is no excep...

Creditors: How to Secure Your Claim with a Notarial Bond

October 5, 2022

You should always take as much security for your claims as you possibly can before advancing credit or lending money to a debtor. That’s because if your debtor fails and is “liquidated” (if a corporate) or “sequestrated” (if an individual), without security you will have only a concurrent claim in the estate. And with a concurrent claim, you will be lucky to get back more than a few cents in th...

Dismissed for Criticising a Mine’s “No High Heels in the Workplace” Rule

October 1, 2022

Employers have a general duty to ensure health and safety in the workplace. But as a recent Labour Court case illustrates, policies dealing with these issues must be correctly drawn, implemented and enforced. A mine’s “no high heels” policy challenged A mining operation introduced a health and safety policy, applicable to all employees, requiring that: “Appropriate shoes must be worn at all time...

Why You Should Sign a Power of Attorney Before You Emigrate or Travel

October 1, 2022

If you are emigrating, or perhaps just going overseas for an extended holiday or work contract, you may well leave behind some form of “unfinished business”. Perhaps you own a property, other assets or bank accounts needing attention, or have outstanding tax/business/financial affairs, or contracts to be signed, cars to be licenced, or something else unresolved that requires your future agreement ...

Building in Security Estates: The ‘Persuasive Sting’ of Penalty Levies

October 1, 2022

Buying “plot and plan” in a residential complex allows you the freedom to build your own dream house in a secure environment, quite apart from providing what is likely to be sound long-term investment. Just make sure that you will actually be ready to build within the time frame required by the HOA (homeowners’ association). If you don’t, you risk having to transfer the plot back to the developer ...

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