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A new breed of law firm

We embrace diversity

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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

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

We innovate

We innovate

Seeking the right solution, we work as a team.

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

Appeal

Appeal and review support and assistance in all appropriate forums, risk and merit assessment, preparation and lodging of appeal documentation and records, case management, legal representation, briefing of counsel and all related support services.

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VIEW EXPERTISE

Banking and Finance

Banking and finance services, advice and support in relation to credit and finance agreements, transaction structuring, financing agreements, securities and negotiable instruments, shares and debentures, regulatory compliance, opinions, and drafting of related documentation and agreements.

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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

Appeal

Appeal and review support and assistance in all appropriate forums, risk and merit assessment, preparation and lodging of appeal documentation and records, case management, legal representation, briefing of counsel and all related support services.
Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

Banking and Finance

Banking and finance services, advice and support in relation to credit and finance agreements, transaction structuring, financing agreements, securities and negotiable instruments, shares and debentures, regulatory compliance, opinions, and drafting of related documentation and agreements.
Show more

VIEW EXPERTISE

Let us help you beat the POPIA Blues!

CONTACT US

Let us help you beat the POPIA Blues!

CONTACT US

Featured Articles

Government and POPIA - applicable or not?

14 June 2021

With all the talk of POPIA coming into effect and businesses having to get ready to comply, I was wondering whether government and municipalities also need to comply with POPIA. Surely, government entities have a lot of personal information in their possession that they must protect.

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

Which socio-economic contributions can be recognised for my BEE scorecard?

14 June 2021

Our company will no longer qualify as an automatic EME and we will have to undergo a formal BEE verification. We have always tried to help our community with donations and allowing our staff to help with charities. Will this count towards our socio-economic development points?

Show more
READ MORE
1
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
2
Article

Can an email qualify as a last will?

14 June 2021

My aunt recently passed away suddenly due to Covid-19. In the hunt for her will, it transpired that she had sent an email to her attorney in which she had asked for amendments to be made to her will and for some of the beneficiaries to be removed. The attorney confirmed that he had not had opportunity to draft a new will before my aunt passed. Can her email be seen as her valid last wishes?

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

The Information Officer and POPIA: What you need to know

20 May 2021

I am the compliance officer for our retail business. I’m aware of the deadline of 1 July 2021 to be POPIA compliant and we are busy putting the necessary in place. I’ve recently heard that the Information Regulator now requires information officers to be registered with the Information Regulator. Is this true and what are the main responsibilities of an information officer?

Show more
READ MORE
2
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
1
Article

Data breaches in terms of POPIA: what you need to know

16 April 2021

Our consultancy business has quite a diverse client base. Over the weekend, the laptop of one of our employees was stolen. The laptop contains personal information of our clients and it appears that it was not password protected making the data accessible. Will this be a data breach in terms of POPIA, and if so, what are we required to do?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

POPIA deadline looming and regulations about to take effect

16 April 2021

I own a local store making custom items for our clients. Because of the nature of some of the client requests I have to use other suppliers and have to share basic information about my clients with them. I am aware of POPIA and I understand that we need to comply including to new regulations that I understand have been issued. My question is to what extent and by when will I need to meet all these requirements?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

The final say on business interruption insurance and Covid-19

16 March 2021

I’ve been following the media reports relating to the Café Chameleon case and their claim that their business interruption insurance covers losses suffered due to Covid-19. The last I heard was that this case was being appealed by the insurer. I have a similar argument going with my insurers, and would like to know whether there is any finality yet on the matter.

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

Does your pension payments form part of your insolvent estate?

10 February 2021

I am on the verge of being declared insolvent. In the next few years I will receive pension payouts from my pension fund. I am concerned, though, that my pension will also fall into my insolvent estate and I will lose my pension? Will this happen?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

Is a power of attorney an abdication, or temporary delegation of your authority to act?

06 January 2021

I recently had to sign a power of attorney authorising my attorney to act on my behalf in my property transfer. It just got me wondering about what exactly a power of attorney means and for how long it remains valid. Can you enlighten me?

Show more
READ MORE
4
Article

Service provider or labour broker?

10 November 2020

Our company wants to help out one of our oldest clients by allowing some of our labourers to work for a few months for the client on a project at the client’s site. The client has had to layoff staff during Covid-19 and we would temporarily help him out with our labourers. We would continue to pay our staff with the client paying us a service fee for the labourers and other support services. Our human resources manager however is concerned that we could be seen as labour brokers should we ...

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

Government and POPIA - applicable or not?

14 June 2021

With all the talk of POPIA coming into effect and businesses having to get ready to comply, I was wondering whether government and municipalities also need to comply with POPIA. Surely, government entities have a lot of personal information in their possession that they must protect.

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

Which socio-economic contributions can be recognised for my BEE scorecard?

14 June 2021

Our company will no longer qualify as an automatic EME and we will have to undergo a formal BEE verification. We have always tried to help our community with donations and allowing our staff to help with charities. Will this count towards our socio-economic development points?

Show more
READ MORE
1
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
2
Article

Can an email qualify as a last will?

14 June 2021

My aunt recently passed away suddenly due to Covid-19. In the hunt for her will, it transpired that she had sent an email to her attorney in which she had asked for amendments to be made to her will and for some of the beneficiaries to be removed. The attorney confirmed that he had not had opportunity to draft a new will before my aunt passed. Can her email be seen as her valid last wishes?

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

The Information Officer and POPIA: What you need to know

20 May 2021

I am the compliance officer for our retail business. I’m aware of the deadline of 1 July 2021 to be POPIA compliant and we are busy putting the necessary in place. I’ve recently heard that the Information Regulator now requires information officers to be registered with the Information Regulator. Is this true and what are the main responsibilities of an information officer?

Show more
READ MORE
2
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
1
Article

Data breaches in terms of POPIA: what you need to know

16 April 2021

Our consultancy business has quite a diverse client base. Over the weekend, the laptop of one of our employees was stolen. The laptop contains personal information of our clients and it appears that it was not password protected making the data accessible. Will this be a data breach in terms of POPIA, and if so, what are we required to do?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

POPIA deadline looming and regulations about to take effect

16 April 2021

I own a local store making custom items for our clients. Because of the nature of some of the client requests I have to use other suppliers and have to share basic information about my clients with them. I am aware of POPIA and I understand that we need to comply including to new regulations that I understand have been issued. My question is to what extent and by when will I need to meet all these requirements?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

The final say on business interruption insurance and Covid-19

16 March 2021

I’ve been following the media reports relating to the Café Chameleon case and their claim that their business interruption insurance covers losses suffered due to Covid-19. The last I heard was that this case was being appealed by the insurer. I have a similar argument going with my insurers, and would like to know whether there is any finality yet on the matter.

Show more
READ MORE
2
Article

Does your pension payments form part of your insolvent estate?

10 February 2021

I am on the verge of being declared insolvent. In the next few years I will receive pension payouts from my pension fund. I am concerned, though, that my pension will also fall into my insolvent estate and I will lose my pension? Will this happen?

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

Is a power of attorney an abdication, or temporary delegation of your authority to act?

06 January 2021

I recently had to sign a power of attorney authorising my attorney to act on my behalf in my property transfer. It just got me wondering about what exactly a power of attorney means and for how long it remains valid. Can you enlighten me?

Show more
READ MORE
4
Article

Service provider or labour broker?

10 November 2020

Our company wants to help out one of our oldest clients by allowing some of our labourers to work for a few months for the client on a project at the client’s site. The client has had to layoff staff during Covid-19 and we would temporarily help him out with our labourers. We would continue to pay our staff with the client paying us a service fee for the labourers and other support services. Our human resources manager however is concerned that we could be seen as labour brokers should we ...

Show more
READ MORE
1
Article

After hours arrest and bail applications

Locked up! What now?

Contact Muhammed Ismail on 060 535 0207

After hours arrest and bail applications

Locked up! What now?

Contact Muhammed Ismail on 060 535 0207