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Donovan Avenant

Partner
Head of Litigation

Donovan heads the litigation department in our KZN office. He focuses on commercial litigation, alternative dispute management, and is broadening his scope in educational law.

Donovan has worked as a dedicated litigation lawyer since qualifying in February 2003 and heads the KZN litigation and alternate dispute department.

Whether you are a private or corporate client, Donovan can advise you through the full spectrum of litigation matters from pre litigious concerns to representing you or your company with arbitration proceedings. He has vast knowledge across a number of industries such as logistics, consumer goods, insurance law, sugar production, property, manufacturing and education. This enables him to take a 360Ëš view to analyzing cases and providing solution-driven advice.

A large part of Donovan’s role is helping businesses with both the formulation and review of agreements, including but not limited to lease and franchise agreements, employment contracts and policies. He also represents corporates with court proceedings to achieve successful outcomes for his clients.

  • Advising RCL Foods Limited, a publicly listed company, on their litigious matters across the board
  • Representing Huntsman Tioxide (Pty) Ltd in a multi-million rand arbitration arising out of damages caused from an explosion on a neighbouring site that caused wide spread damage to our client’s industrial plant
  • Representing Quality Sugars (Pty) Ltd in recovering their stock to the value of R15 million from a company placed under provisional liquidation
  • Successfully settling a multimillion rand claim on behalf of co-insurers arising out of a crane incident which caused property damage and business interruption
  • Advising private and corporate clients on lease agreements and franchise agreements, dealing with both the formulation and review of agreements
  • Assisting clients in formulating and reviewing employment contracts and policies
  • Assisting schools in the formulation of various policies in order to maintain good governance
  • Assisting corporate clients in chairing disciplinary enquiries
  • Assisting in identifying evidence needed to proceed with a CCMA hearing
  • Providing advice and input to corporates in relation to eviction applications in terms of Extension of Security for Tenure Act
  • Secured evictions in terms of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Act

Donovan is the Chairman and a provincial trustee of the KZN Chapter of the Governing Body Foundation, an Association that assists schools with governance.  He is also the vice chairman of the National Board of Trustees.

Additionally, he is the chairman of Livingstone Primary School’s Governing Body where his son schools. He assists various schools with the formulation of policies for improved governance.  He has been successful in instituting an application against the Minister of Education for the wrongful appointment of a principal.

  • Bachelor of Commerce, 1996-1998
  • LLB, 1999-2000
Donovan Avenant

Partner

Head of Litigation

Donovan Avenant

Partner

Head of Litigation

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