We are the largest law firm in central northern KwaZulu-Natal. We serve private individuals, corporations, banks, institutional and governmental entities across multiple industry sectors, providing a broad range of legal, support and business advisory services.

Embracing a client-orientated management philosophy where our clients come first, we constantly re-evaluate how we can best serve them. This philosophy underpins our five firm values:

•    We care for our clients, our staff and our community.

•    We innovate in our services and how we provide them.

•    We set standards and measure ourselves against them.

•    We are experts that aim to simplify the complex.

•    We embrace diversity.

We are a new breed of law firm and embrace these values to set us apart as a truly South African law firm. We lead from the front and choose to set the standard rather than follow. Our success has been built on our willingness to explore new and unconventional approaches to law and the practise of law, and our clients have to come to expect a different approach and unique solutions when they work with us.

Our diversity defines who we are and makes all the difference to our clients. We are proud of our empowerment initiatives and achievements as well as our firm, which is made up with team members from a diverse community to enable us to understand our clients’ needs.

We are passionate about the law and our clients and love what we do!

We are a proud member of the Phatshoane Henney Group of Associated Law Firms.

The Phatshoane Henney Group is the largest legal network in South Africa. Currently comprising of nearly 50 law firms with more than 60 offices in nine provinces and over 500 professionals, the Group continues to grow year-on-year and expand its presence to major centres across South Africa.

The Group was founded in 2006 by Bloemfontein firm Phatshoane Henney Attorneys in response to an identified need of law firms to strategically position themselves for the future and access the economies of scale of a large group with national visibility and brand awareness. Membership provides firms with a range of benefits including vital support services, marketing infrastructure and strategic partnerships that create value, cost savings and business opportunities for firms.

Member firms are dynamic and prominent law firms in their respective regions and subscribe to the Group values of caring, innovation, expertise, standards and transformation – values which make each firm stand out as a New Breed of Law Firm™. The Group brand has grown strongly since its establishment and has obtained recognition as a leading brand in the legal profession. The brand is complimentary to individual firm brands which it supports and strengthens by adding visibility and differentiation.

Members pool their resources and expertise to foster a national service directory and network of firms and professionals that are able to assist clients across South Africa. Group quality standards and best practices also provide clients with the comfort of working with experts who provide consistent value-adding legal services to their clients.

With a strong transformation imperative, the Group supports firms to transform and address vital aspects of BEE, employment equity, skills development and diversity; contribute to their communities;  develop their professionals;  and position firms as employers of choice with their staff. The scale and purchasing power of the Group enables cost reductions, strategic partnership opportunities and negotiating power which benefit member firms and ultimately each firm’s clientele.

For more information on the Phatshoane Henney Group, its values, members and national service directory please visit www.phfirms.co.za.

DBM Attorneys is the proud recipient of the New Breed Law Firm Platinum Award 2021/2, which has been awarded to our firm by the Phatshoane Henney Group in recognition of our above 90% compliance with the Group Standards in 2021 and 2022. The Platinum Award is the highest award of the Phatshoane Henney Group to a member firm. 

The Phatshoane Henney Group has well-established Group Standards to which all member firms must aspire and which underpin the vital Group Values member firms must adopt to be recognised as a New Breed of Law Firm™.

Only members of the Phatshoane Henney Group can be a New Breed of Law Firm™ as it personifies the drive of the Group to position each member firm not only as a leading law firm in its region, but also as a compliant, well-managed and diversified South African law firm - a New Breed of Law Firm for South Africa.

To claim the status of being a New Breed of Law Firm™, member firms must progressively implement best practices at their firm, ranging from client service, marketing, strategic planning, staff satisfaction, firm practices, training and development, regulatory compliance, risk management, transformation and more. These best practices have been meticulously designed by the Group to provide a robust foundation for the practices needed by a leading law firm.

To establish compliance, the Phatshoane Henney Group conducts a comprehensive survey of each member firm every two years, measuring compliance with over 60 best practices using an evidence-based audit to determine the individual Group Standards Scorecard for each firm.

To reward firms that excel in their audits, the Group has introduced its New Breed Law Firm Awards. These awards reward firms for exceptional results with recognition and the opportunity to showcase their exceptional performance to staff and clients. Each award is valid for two years from date of award and confirms to the public the quality of firm they are working with.

The New Breed Law Firm award is centred around the 5 Group Values of Caring, Standards, Innovation, Expertise and Diversity, with each colour in the award logo reflecting a related value, and by award to a firm, confirming that the firm has fully adopted these values and is worthy of being recognised as a New Breed of Law Firm™.

“We congratulate DBM Attorneys on their outstanding compliance with the Group Standards and on receiving our highest accolade, namely to be recognised as a New Breed of Law Firm. We are proud to have DBM Attorneys as a member firm of the Phatshoane Henney Group and believe the award confirms their status as a leading law firm and one of the best firms in our Group,” says Douglas Henney, Phatshoane Henney Group Chair.

For more information on the New Breed Law Firm Awards 2021/2, click here.