PROFESSIONALS
IGOR VUKIC
Igor Vukic was admitted as an attorney and conveyancer in 1968. He was one of the founding partners of Bernadt Vukic Potash & Getz in 1985.
He practices exclusively in the commercial law field, specialising in the negotiation and drafting of agreements over a wide range of commercial activity, including property acquisition and development transactions, company restructuring, business acquisitions and the like.
He is regularly appointed by the High Court to act as the independent chairman of shareholder meetings convened by the Court pursuant to various provisions of the Companies Act.
He has also served as a non-executive director of several companies listed on the JSE.
KEITH GETZ
Keith Getz has been practicing as an attorney since 1980 and is a senior partner at the firm Bernadt Vukic Potash & Getz.
He practices principally in the areas of takeovers and mergers, private equity, corporate structuring, black economic empowerment transactions, licensing, franchising, exchange control regulations, derivative transactions, commercial law contracts, schemes of arrangement, associated restructurings stock exchange transactions and generally advising corporate clients nationally and internationally on corporate and commercial matters.
He also writes articles for local and international publications on company, stock exchange and franchising matters and travels extensively internationally in advising clients. He is the contact partner for the firm's international law links with highly regarded international firms in more than 35 countries.
He has obtained business experience by, inter alia, serving as a director of a number of companies, including companies listed on the JSE and companies incorporated in international jurisdictions and has lectured on law to various interest groups, including in Advanced Company Law on the Masters of Law course at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
JEREMY TYFIELD
Jeremy Tyfield has been practicing as an attorney since 1987 and is a litigation partner of the firm.
He advises on and undertakes High Court Litigation and Arbitration. His areas of specialization include commercial litigation, banking and associated litigation, administrative litigation, tax litigation, property related disputes including construction law, insolvency enquiries and he has assisted large companies in forensic investigations, liquidations and corporate recoveries.
WAYNE FIELD
Wayne Field has been practicing as an attorney since 1990 and is the partner who manages the Labour and Public Interest Law Department of Bernadt Vukic Potash & Getz.
He advises on all aspects of Labour Law and Industrial Relations. He is also experienced in the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions and in the drafting of a range of employment agreements, including collective agreements. His clients include employers, trade unions and related parties and represents clients in the Labour Court, the Labour Appeal Court and at Bargaining Councils and the CCMA. In addition he has represented clients in private mediations and arbitrations.
He is an accredited arbitrator and has acted as commissioner for a number of Bargaining Councils and the CCMA.
He has presented a number of seminars and workshops on labour law related topics and his articles have been published.
CHRIS HESSIAN
Chris Hessian was admitted as an attorney in 2000. He is a partner of Bernadt Vukic Potash and Getz Attorneys.
He is primarily involved in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, listings, unbundlings and general corporate work. He drafts various commercial contracts, including shareholders agreements, sale of shares and sale of business agreements, license and franchise agreements and generally advises corporate clients in relation to corporate matters. He is also involved in banking and finance related work, including empowerment and other funding transactions, leveraged buy-outs, preference share structures, securitisation, lending and investment products.
MIA GIBSON
Mia Gibson has been practising as an attorney, notary public and conveyancer since 2000.
She is a partner at the firm and manages the Property Department, incorporating the registration of commercial and residential bonds for all major financial institutions; registration of transfers of commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential properties, sectional schemes, township developments, commercial schemes and mixed use developments, including off-shore developments, the registration of servitudes and the registration of General and Special Notarial Bonds.In addition, she advises on the structure of property related transactions and drafts the agreements in relation to all such types of transactions.
MOOSA AKOODIE
Moosa Akoodie has been practicing as an attorney since 2002 and is a partner at Bernadt Vukic Potash & Getz.
Moosa is occupied principally with commercial and corporate law advising corporate clients. He has experience in mergers and acquisitions, the formation and initial structuring of new business entities and non-profit organizations, company secretarial matters, advising on intellectual property and the drafting of various commercial agreements.
ROSS KUDO
Ross Kudo has been practicing as an attorney in the field of general commercial litigation since 2003.
He is a partner in the litigation division and focuses on contractual disputes, intellectual property litigation and building disputes in the High Court, Magistrate's Court and in Arbitration. He acts for financial institutions, retailers, wine and golf estates and other corporate and private clients.
NICOLE MATISONN
Nicole was admitted as an attorney in 2005 and is a partner of the firm.
Her primary experience is in regulatory matters, mergers and acquisitions, and the drafting of various commercial contracts including loan and facility agreements, security documents, sale of shares and business agreements, franchise agreements and corporate trust deeds.
LAUREN FINE
Lauren Fine was admitted as an attorney in 2005.
A partner in the litigation division, her expertise lies in the area of general commercial litigation, in Magistrate's Court and High Court Litigation and in Arbitration. She has experience in restraints of trade, building and construction, lease recoveries and general contractual disputes. She acts for corporate and private clients.
NICOLAS GROBLER
Nicolas Grobler was admitted as an attorney in 2005 and as a conveyancer in 2006, and is a partner of the firm.
Nicolas specializes in general conveyancing and other property related transactions. Nicolas acts for private clients as well as all the major banking institutions and has experience in the registration of transfers of residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural properties, private and institutional mortgage bonds, sectional title schemes, township developments, municipal expropriations, proclamation and leasehold sites and the drafting of various agreements arising from a property based practice.
ADAM SNITCHER
Adam graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2005, having obtained his LLB degree. He commenced his articles of clerkship with BVPG in 2006 and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court in early 2008.
Adam's main areas of practice are in commercial law, with an emphasis on mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property law. Adam has also lectured tertiary courses in mercantile law on a part-time basis.
DAVEY GANT
Davey graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2007, having obtained his B.Com (Economics) LLB degree. He commenced his articles of clerkship with BVPG in 2008 and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court in early 2010.
Davey is a member of the commercial department and focuses on the drafting of various commercial contracts for national and international clients including shareholders agreements, sale of business agreements, commercial leases, sale of share agreements and franchise agreements.
ELIZABETH HACKING
Elizabeth Hacking was admitted as an attorney and conveyancer in 1989 and a notary public in 1991 and is charged with the management of Bernadt Vukic Potash and Getz's Estates Division.
A former partner of the firm, she is now a consultant to the firm and assists the firm's clients in their estate planning, advises on and drafts Trust Deeds, assists in the management and administration of trusts, administers deceased estates, drafts wills and antenuptial contracts and, in addition, has a general notarial practice.
PETER SLACK
Peter Slack is an associate of the firm who has been in practice for over 40 years. He consults in all areas of Competition Law.
SADULLA KARJIKER
Sadulla Karjiker was admitted as an attorney in South Africa in 1998 and as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2002 and has practised in corporate and commercial law in both jurisdictions.
He was awarded scholarships for postgraduate studies and completed his LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law at the University of London. He also completed his Diploma in Advanced Corporate Law and Securities Law through UNISA, with distinction, while in the employment of Maitland & Co in London.
His skills include negotiating and drafting contracts, advising clients on commercial and corporate law issues, mergers and acquisitions and assisting listed companies with their compliance obligations.
He lectures Company Law, Intellectual Property Law and Information Technology Law at the University of Stellenbosch and is an associate of the firm.
UNATHI MALUNGA
After completing her LLB at Rhodes University, Unathi Malunga was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of California where she obtained her Master of Laws in Entertainment Law. Prior to returning to South Africa she worked at worked at White O' Connor Curry & Avanzado (a law firm specialising in entertainment law). She was admitted to practice as an attorney in South Africa in 2004.
During the course of her career, both in practice as an attorney and now, primarily, as a consultant to the entertainment industry in South Africa, Unathi has been involved in numerous film productions, including international co-productions, negotiating and drafting agreements in respect of film production, film financing, location, writer, director, option, crew and talent agreements; music recording and publishing agreements; and licensing agreements. In addition, she drafts creative agreements in respect of film & television development, commercial tie-ins and product placement and advises clients in respect of trademark, copyright and other intellectual property issues. She is also able to assist clients with regard to Black Economic Empowerment issues.
In October 2007, Unathi was invited to speak at the World Intellectual Property Organisation's 'International Seminar on the Strategic Use of Intellectual Property for Economic and Social Development', hosted by the DTI and was recently invited by the Black Lawyers Association to provide entertainment law workshops to lawyers around the country.
