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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.

Directors, Creditors – Do Personal Suretyships Survive Business Rescue?

August 2, 2021

In these hard times of pandemic and economically destructive unrest, an unfortunate number of businesses face collapse, and many will opt for the “first aid for companies” option of business rescue. Creditors coming out of that process with a shortfall (only the luckiest creditors are likely to emerge with full settlement) will naturally look to any personal suretyships they hold to cover that ...

Noisy Neighbours – Your Rights, and Buyers Beware!

August 2, 2021

We’ve all had them – noisy neighbours whose dogs bark incessantly, whose late-night parties leave everyone sleep-deprived, whose businesses make working from home and relaxing in the garden an impossibility. We’ll have a look at two aspects of this problem, starting with the option of taking your neighbours to court if a friendly approach to them bears no fruit. What must you prove to get a cou...

Violence and Looting – Can You Sue SAPS?

August 2, 2021

The recent widespread public unrest, destruction of property and looting caused massive loss and damage in two provinces, and our television sets and other news media carried images of rampaging crowds looting and burning – with, for the first few days at least, very little evidence of effective police reaction. Many of those who suffered losses (or their insurers) will no doubt be wondering if...

Employee Looting and Strike Violence: When Is Dismissal Fair?

August 2, 2021

Employee looting and/or violence can take place during strike action or it can occur during non-workplace incidents such as the recent looting and public disorder sprees. In both cases employers need to take action, but with care. Addressing firstly the “strike” scenario, employees have strongly entrenched rights when it comes to taking industrial action. But strikers who indulge in, or associa...

Bodies Corporate: Before You Sequestrate to Recover Arrears

July 5, 2021

One of a Body Corporate’s fundamental duties is to collect monthly levies from the scheme’s members, and to take robust action to recover any arrears. As with any other creditor/debtor relationship however, trying to recover debt can be an exercise in frustration and delay, and the more recalcitrant the debtor, the greater the temptation to “go straight for the jugular” by applying to sequestrate ...

R4m Damages for a Workplace Sexual Assault

July 5, 2021

Employers who don’t adequately address the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace can expect to pay the price in court. As can the perpetrators themselves. We look at the case of a woman [PE v Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality and Another (828/2011) [2021] ZAECGHC 35] whose decade long trek through the courts has finally resulted in a damages payout of just under R4m. The employer and t...

Spousal Maintenance After Divorce and the “Clean Break” Principle

July 5, 2021

Our courts always prioritise the interests of children in any marital breakup, and child maintenance orders are accordingly tailored to ensure that both parents honour their obligations to support their children financially - to the extent that each spouse is able to do so, and for so long as is necessary. Spousal maintenance on the other hand requires a more delicate balancing act. In a nutshe...

Buying Property from a Company – Should You Buy the Shares or the House?

July 5, 2021

You find the house of your dreams, agree on the price and get ready to put pen to paper. The house is in the name of a company, and you are offered a choice – either buy the house out of the company or take over the company (which owns the house and nothing else) by buying the shares and thus avoid the delay and cost of a normal property transfer and registration in the Deeds Office. What shoul...

Can You Change Your Marital Regime After Marriage?

June 7, 2021

One of the most important decisions you must make before you marry is what “marital regime” (“matrimonial property system”) you want to apply to your marriage. The different marital regimes Marry in community of property: This is the default in South Africa if you don’t sign an antenuptial contract (“ANC”) before you marry. All your assets and liabilities (with a few specific exceptions) are po...

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