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New breed law firm

We embrace diversity

Who We Are
DBM Attorneys is proudly based in Newcastle and our clients regard us as a firm of excellence. As the largest firm of attorneys in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, we provide our clients with efficient and effective legal solutions with integrity and professionalism.

We care

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

We care

We like to get personal and build relationships of trust with our clients. We invest in our staff and give back to our communities.

Setting the Standard

We set the standard and lead from the front.

Setting the Standard

We set high standards for ourselves and work hard to achieve them and ensure our clients experience top and consistent service throughout the firm.

Expertise

Expertise

We are experts that aim to simplify the complex.

Administration of Estates

Administration of deceased estates, include advice and guidance, executorships, preparation of all documentation for submission to the Master of the High Court, preparation of agreements, management of estate assets and liabilities, and all related aspects to ensure a successful administration of a deceased estate.

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VIEW EXPERTISE

Bond Registration and Cancellation

Advice and support regarding the registration and cancellation of mortgage bonds, drafting and preparation of securities, engaging with financiers, preparation and lodging of documentation with the Deeds Office, engaging with third parties, obtaining all necessary authorities and approvals, management of the registration or cancellation process.

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VIEW EXPERTISE

Child Rights

Advice, guidance and support in respect of child rights, including protection, maintenance, custody, adoptions, surrogacy, legal representation, mediation, negotiation, investigations, drafting of documentation and agreements, initiation of proceedings and all other matters relating to child rights.

Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

Administration of Estates

Administration of deceased estates, include advice and guidance, executorships, preparation of all documentation for submission to the Master of the High Court, preparation of agreements, management of estate assets and liabilities, and all related aspects to ensure a successful administration of a deceased estate.
Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

Bond Registration and Cancellation

Advice and support regarding the registration and cancellation of mortgage bonds, drafting and preparation of securities, engaging with financiers, preparation and lodging of documentation with the Deeds Office, engaging with third parties, obtaining all necessary authorities and approvals, management of the registration or cancellation process.
Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

Child Rights

Advice, guidance and support in respect of child rights, including protection, maintenance, custody, adoptions, surrogacy, legal representation, mediation, negotiation, investigations, drafting of documentation and agreements, initiation of proceedings and all other matters relating to child rights.
Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

DON'T MISS OUT!

Subscribe to our Labour Law Newsletter

To Subscribe, Please e-mail: karlien@dbm.com

DON'T MISS OUT!

Subscribe to our Labour Law Newsletter

To Subscribe, Please e-mail: karlien@dbm.com

Featured Articles

Is Preferential Procurement really important for your business?

21 March 2022

As much as B-BBEE legislation and scorecards have become a general part of the business landscape for many companies, the procurement aspect remains a difficult one for businesses to get right and understand how important it is to their overall scorecard result. Below we unpack the Preferential Procurement Element of the B-BBEE Scorecard in more detail to illustrate how careful a business should be not to ignore this crucial element in their planning.

Show more
READ MORE
52
Article

Can you dismiss an employee for refusing to be vaccinated?

21 March 2022

Many companies are struggling with the question of whether they can make it mandatory for their employees to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus and, if necessary, even take disciplinary steps against an employee who refuses to be vaccinated. So what does our law say about this?

Show more
READ MORE
56
Article

To post or not to post? When is privacy violated?

21 March 2022

Your neighbour has been piling heaps of rubbish on his sidewalk. You’ve raised the issue with him but to no avail. Now you’ve taken photos of the mess and want to post them on Facebook to try and get other neighbours to also put pressure on him to clean up the mess. However, you pause and wonder about whether you can post the photos and identify your neighbour. Is it an invasion of privacy, or in the public interest?

Show more
READ MORE
55
Article

What if the employee working from home, does not work at home?

08 February 2022

If your business has employees working from home, you may be concerned about whether your employees are in fact working their required hours, or if they may instead be “stealing time” from your business. Should companies merely accept this as the new world of work due to the pandemic, or can a company act against such employees?

Show more
READ MORE
54
Article

When must a director disclose a financial interest?

08 February 2022

Being a director in a company does not necessarily stop you from holding shares in other companies. However, should your company transact with another company in which you have a shareholding stake and from which you could potentially benefit, it becomes important that you disclose such financial interest to your co-directors, even if you can’t influence the transaction.

Show more
READ MORE
116
Article

At long last, clarity on whether you can transfer your water rights

08 February 2022

Because of the ample rain that has fallen countrywide, many dams are full, leading to cases where people do not have use for their water rights. So, it begs the question as to whether it is possible to sell your water rights to someone else?

Show more
READ MORE
108
Article

Can an unmarried father register a child under his surname?

15 November 2021

I’m the father of a newborn daughter. The mother, to whom I’m not married, disappeared immediately after birth leaving me as sole parent of my daughter. Because I don’t know where the mother is I cannot get the mother’s consent. Without this consent Home Affairs does not want to register my daughter under my surname. I have no idea what to do now. Can you help?

Show more
READ MORE
46
Article

Can you force a party to mediate a dispute?

14 July 2021

I have a growing dispute developing with a service provider and it looks like it may head to court. However, with delays and costs of litigation, I was wondering whether the option of mediation is not a better alternative. But can I force the other party to use mediation rather than going to court?

Show more
READ MORE
309
Article

Further levelling of the playing field with the new Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Act

14 July 2021

My mother is a black woman who has been married since the early 1970’s to my father in accordance with customary law. They have never concluded a civil marriage, and my mother has also been our home provider while my father worked. Their marriage has become strained over the last couple of years, and I’m worried about my mother, should my father decide to divorce her. What are her marital rights?

Show more
READ MORE
163
Article

Can adopted children benefit from a family trust?

14 June 2021

Sometime before his death, my father established a family trust which contained properties that were rented out to generate income for my mother. In accordance with the trust deed however, once my mother dies, the income from the properties would go to the children of my mother and father. I have an adopted brother and 2 biological sisters. There is now a debate as to whether my adopted brother also qualifies to benefit from the family trust. What is the legal position?

Show more
READ MORE
284
Article

Wrong funds in your account? What can you and your bank do with the funds?

20 May 2021

I recently had the situation where a third party accidentally paid a sum of money into our business account. Our banker saw the amount and asked whether it could be used to settle some of our company’s debt with the bank. When informed that it was not our money, the re-transfer to the third party was arranged. However, I was wondering what would have happened if we had used the money or the bank had taken it to settle our debt with it?

Show more
READ MORE
158
Article

When do maintenance obligations prescribe?

20 May 2021

My ex-husband has for some time now not paid his maintenance as per the court order. Because I had a job and was earning a basic income, I just left it as I didn’t want the hassle of trying to get him to pay. Now I’ve been retrenched and have asked him to pay his outstanding maintenance, but he refuses and says his attorney told him that his obligation to pay has prescribed. Surely this can’t be right?

Show more
READ MORE
277
Article

Is Preferential Procurement really important for your business?

21 March 2022

As much as B-BBEE legislation and scorecards have become a general part of the business landscape for many companies, the procurement aspect remains a difficult one for businesses to get right and understand how important it is to their overall scorecard result. Below we unpack the Preferential Procurement Element of the B-BBEE Scorecard in more detail to illustrate how careful a business should be not to ignore this crucial element in their planning.

Show more
READ MORE
52
Article

Can you dismiss an employee for refusing to be vaccinated?

21 March 2022

Many companies are struggling with the question of whether they can make it mandatory for their employees to be vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus and, if necessary, even take disciplinary steps against an employee who refuses to be vaccinated. So what does our law say about this?

Show more
READ MORE
56
Article

To post or not to post? When is privacy violated?

21 March 2022

Your neighbour has been piling heaps of rubbish on his sidewalk. You’ve raised the issue with him but to no avail. Now you’ve taken photos of the mess and want to post them on Facebook to try and get other neighbours to also put pressure on him to clean up the mess. However, you pause and wonder about whether you can post the photos and identify your neighbour. Is it an invasion of privacy, or in the public interest?

Show more
READ MORE
55
Article

What if the employee working from home, does not work at home?

08 February 2022

If your business has employees working from home, you may be concerned about whether your employees are in fact working their required hours, or if they may instead be “stealing time” from your business. Should companies merely accept this as the new world of work due to the pandemic, or can a company act against such employees?

Show more
READ MORE
54
Article

When must a director disclose a financial interest?

08 February 2022

Being a director in a company does not necessarily stop you from holding shares in other companies. However, should your company transact with another company in which you have a shareholding stake and from which you could potentially benefit, it becomes important that you disclose such financial interest to your co-directors, even if you can’t influence the transaction.

Show more
READ MORE
116
Article

At long last, clarity on whether you can transfer your water rights

08 February 2022

Because of the ample rain that has fallen countrywide, many dams are full, leading to cases where people do not have use for their water rights. So, it begs the question as to whether it is possible to sell your water rights to someone else?

Show more
READ MORE
108
Article

Can an unmarried father register a child under his surname?

15 November 2021

I’m the father of a newborn daughter. The mother, to whom I’m not married, disappeared immediately after birth leaving me as sole parent of my daughter. Because I don’t know where the mother is I cannot get the mother’s consent. Without this consent Home Affairs does not want to register my daughter under my surname. I have no idea what to do now. Can you help?

Show more
READ MORE
46
Article

Can you force a party to mediate a dispute?

14 July 2021

I have a growing dispute developing with a service provider and it looks like it may head to court. However, with delays and costs of litigation, I was wondering whether the option of mediation is not a better alternative. But can I force the other party to use mediation rather than going to court?

Show more
READ MORE
309
Article

Further levelling of the playing field with the new Recognition of Customary Marriages Amendment Act

14 July 2021

My mother is a black woman who has been married since the early 1970’s to my father in accordance with customary law. They have never concluded a civil marriage, and my mother has also been our home provider while my father worked. Their marriage has become strained over the last couple of years, and I’m worried about my mother, should my father decide to divorce her. What are her marital rights?

Show more
READ MORE
163
Article

Can adopted children benefit from a family trust?

14 June 2021

Sometime before his death, my father established a family trust which contained properties that were rented out to generate income for my mother. In accordance with the trust deed however, once my mother dies, the income from the properties would go to the children of my mother and father. I have an adopted brother and 2 biological sisters. There is now a debate as to whether my adopted brother also qualifies to benefit from the family trust. What is the legal position?

Show more
READ MORE
284
Article

Wrong funds in your account? What can you and your bank do with the funds?

20 May 2021

I recently had the situation where a third party accidentally paid a sum of money into our business account. Our banker saw the amount and asked whether it could be used to settle some of our company’s debt with the bank. When informed that it was not our money, the re-transfer to the third party was arranged. However, I was wondering what would have happened if we had used the money or the bank had taken it to settle our debt with it?

Show more
READ MORE
158
Article

When do maintenance obligations prescribe?

20 May 2021

My ex-husband has for some time now not paid his maintenance as per the court order. Because I had a job and was earning a basic income, I just left it as I didn’t want the hassle of trying to get him to pay. Now I’ve been retrenched and have asked him to pay his outstanding maintenance, but he refuses and says his attorney told him that his obligation to pay has prescribed. Surely this can’t be right?

Show more
READ MORE
277
Article

DBM Attorneys

Proud and excited for achieving the Platinum Award for 2021!

The Platinum Award is the highest award of the Phatshoane Henney Group to a member firm.

DBM Attorneys

Proud and excited for achieving the Platinum Award for 2021!

The Platinum Award is the highest award of the Phatshoane Henney Group to a member firm.

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Group Transformation Report 2020/21

See how we contribute to transformation in the legal industry!
VIEW

Group Transformation Report 2020/21

See how we contribute to transformation in the legal industry!
VIEW