Services
Comprehensive legal solutions designed to protect your assets, secure your future, and support you through every stage of life and business.
Property & Conveyancing
Property transactions are significant legal and financial milestones, whether you are purchasing your first home, upgrading to accommodate a growing family, or selling an investment property. Conveyancing is a highly regulated process, and accuracy, compliance, and timing are critical to ensuring a smooth transfer of ownership.
At Van Twisk Attorneys, we provide comprehensive conveyancing services with a strong focus on efficiency, transparency, and proactive communication. We understand that property transfers can feel complex and stressful, which is why we guide our clients clearly through every step of the process.
Our property and conveyancing services include:
- Buying and Selling Property:
We act as transferring attorneys, ensuring that the transaction complies with all legal requirements and that ownership is securely registered in the Deeds Office. We assist clients from the moment an offer to purchase is accepted through to registration, explaining documentation, timelines, and costs in clear and understandable terms.
We also assist clients with drafting, interpreting, and finalising the offer to purchase to ensure it reflects our client’s intentions accurately.
- First-Time Homebuyers:
Purchasing your first property can be overwhelming. We provide hands-on guidance to first-time buyers, explaining the conveyancing process, transfer duty, bond registration, and registration timelines, ensuring that clients feel confident and informed throughout the transaction.
- Secure and Transparent Transfers:
We place a strong emphasis on transparency and risk management. Clients are kept updated at every stage of the transfer process, and all funds are handled in accordance with strict trust accounting and regulatory standards.
- Liaison with Financial Institutions and Deeds Office:
We work closely with banks, bond attorneys, cancellation attorneys, and the Deeds Office to ensure that all documentation is correctly prepared and lodged, minimising delays and avoiding costly errors.
Our conveyancing practice is solution-driven and time-sensitive. We prioritise fast turnaround times, clear communication, and meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that your property transaction is completed efficiently and with peace of mind.
Wills & Trusts
Planning for the future is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your family and preserve the legacy you are building. A properly structured estate plan provides certainty, avoids unnecessary complications, and ensures that your loved ones are cared for in accordance with your wishes.
At Van Twisk Attorneys, we approach wills and trusts with care, foresight, and a clear understanding that every family’s circumstances are unique. Our advice is practical, tailored, and designed to grow with you through every stage of life.
We assist clients with the following:
- Custom-Drafted Wills:
A valid and up-to-date will ensures that your wishes are clearly recorded and legally enforceable. We draft wills that address the distribution of assets, appointment of executors, and allocation of responsibilities, reducing the risk of disputes, delays, or unintended consequences. Particular care is taken to ensure compliance with South African succession law.
- Protection of Minor Children’s Inheritance:
Without proper planning, a minor child’s inheritance may be paid into the Guardians Fund, often resulting in delays and administrative challenges. We structure wills to avoid this outcome and ensure that funds are managed responsibly and remain accessible for the benefit of your children.
- Testamentary Trusts:
Testamentary trusts are created within a will and come into effect upon death. These trusts are an effective mechanism to safeguard assets for minor children or vulnerable beneficiaries. We advise on trustee appointments, trust terms, and administration structures to ensure that inheritances are protected and used in the best interests of beneficiaries.
- Inter Vivos and Family Trusts:
We assist with the establishment and registration of living trusts as part of broader estate and asset protection planning. Trusts can be used to protect assets, manage wealth across generations, and provide continuity in the event of death or incapacity.
- Estate Planning and Ongoing Review:
Estate planning is not a once-off exercise. Changes in family circumstances, asset portfolios, or legislation may require regular review. We work closely with clients to ensure that their wills and trust structures remain appropriate, effective, and aligned with their long-term goals.
Our objective is to give clients peace of mind, knowing that their families are protected, their wishes will be honoured, and their estates will be administered efficiently with minimal stress for those left behind.
Deceased Estates
The loss of a loved one is a deeply emotional time, and dealing with the legal aspects of their estate can feel overwhelming. At Van Twisk Attorneys, we provide compassionate, efficient and professional assistance with all aspects of deceased estate administration, ensuring that families are guided through the process with clarity and support.
Our deceased estate services include:
- Reporting to the Master of the High Court:
We assist executors and families in preparing and submitting all necessary documentation to the Master’s office, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements and legal timelines.
- Executor Guidance and Support:
Acting as legal advisors to executors, we provide step-by-step guidance throughout the administration process, including asset identification, valuation, debt settlement, and distribution planning.
- Efficient Estate Administration:
We manage the practical and legal administration of estates, from compiling inventories to liaising with financial institutions and service providers, with the aim of minimising delays and reducing stress on the family.
- Distribution of Assets to Beneficiaries:
We ensure that assets are distributed according to the will or the laws of intestate succession, providing transparency, accuracy, and compliance in the transfer of property and funds.
Our approach balances professionalism with empathy, ensuring that families feel supported throughout the process. By taking care of the legal complexities, we allow clients to focus on what matters most – honouring the memory of their loved one and supporting one another during a difficult time.
Antenuptial Contracts and Related Notarial Services
Certain legal documents require execution before a duly admitted Notary Public to ensure their validity, enforceability, and compliance with the law. Our notarial services are provided with precision, efficiency, and careful attention to detail, ensuring that your documents meet all formal legal requirements.
We assist clients with the following notarial services:
- Antenuptial Contracts (ANCs):
We draft and notarise antenuptial contracts for couples who wish to marry out of community of property, with or without the accrual system. An ANC is a crucial legal instrument that determines how assets and liabilities will be managed during the marriage and upon dissolution. We ensure that your contract is clearly structured, legally sound, and registered timeously in the Deeds Office.
- Notarial Bonds:
We prepare and register general and special notarial bonds, allowing movable assets to be used as security for debt. Notarial bonds are commonly utilised in commercial and financing transactions, and we ensure that these instruments are drafted to properly protect your rights and interests.
- Authentication and Notarisation of Documents:
We authenticate and notarise documents for both local and international use, including affidavits, powers of attorney, consent letters, and corporate resolutions. Where documents are intended for use abroad, we guide clients through the correct process to ensure compliance with international requirements, including certification for apostille or further legalisation where necessary.
- Notarial Cessions, Servitudes and Agreements:
We assist with the drafting and execution of various notarial deeds and agreements that require registration or formal notarisation, ensuring legal certainty and enforceability.
Our notarial practice is focused on accuracy, efficient turnaround times, and clear communication. We understand that many notarial matters are time-sensitive and ensure that documents are prepared, executed, and registered without unnecessary delay.
Company Registrations & Structuring
Starting or formalising a business is an exciting milestone, but it requires careful planning to ensure compliance, protect assets, and set the foundation for long-term success. At Van Twisk Attorneys, we guide entrepreneurs and business owners through every step of company registration and structuring, providing clear advice and practical solutions tailored to your goals.
Our services in this area include:
- Company Registration:
We assist clients with the registration of private companies, non-profits, and other legal entities with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), ensuring that all documentation is correctly completed and lodged for approval.
- Business Structuring and Planning:
We advise on the most suitable legal structures for your business, taking into account liability, future growth, and operational needs. Proper structuring is key to protecting personal assets and facilitating investment or expansion.
- Shareholder Agreements and Company Governance:
We draft and review shareholder agreements, memoranda of incorporation, and other corporate governance documents to safeguard the rights of owners and provide clarity on management, decision-making, and dispute resolution.
- Compliance and Regulatory Guidance:
We provide ongoing advice to ensure that your company remains compliant with statutory obligations, company secretarial requirements, and other legal filings.
- Business Startups and Side Ventures:
We support new entrepreneurs in launching their ventures with confidence, providing guidance on contracts, and the legal considerations that enable your business to grow securely and sustainably.
Our approach is practical, solution-oriented, and focused on efficiency. We aim to simplify the legal processes for business owners, enabling you to concentrate on growing your company while we ensure that your legal foundations are sound and compliant.
Talk To Us
You’ve worked hard to build your family and your assets. Let us ensure every property transfer, estate matter, notarial requirement, and business structure is handled with precision and personal care.