Our Team
Meet Our Legal Team, Dedicated to Protecting and Advancing Your Business Interests
Nico Claassen
Director (Founding)
Education:
BCom (Law) (2004) (Stell)
LLB (2006) (Stell)
LLM (2007) (Stell)
Short Course in Business Rescue (Unisa)
Professional:
Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (February 2010)
Member of the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA)
Member of the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL)
Nico’s passion is Dispute Resolution, Restructuring and Insolvency. He applies his skills to diffuse complex disputes to the benefit of his clients. His goal is to do so effectively and efficiently, both in terms of cost and outcome, by applying the legal tools available to him.
He sharpened his skills in his areas of passion mainly by representing large credit providers, but has also advised business rescue practitioners, liquidators and other clients within this context. Nico established the firm in December 2021 to re-focus on and further pursue his passion.
Sharan Lala
Associate
Education:
BSocPsy (Law and Politics) (2018)
LLB (2021) (NWU)
Professional:
Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (February 2010)
Member of the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA)
Member of the International Association of nRestructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL)
Sharan commenced his training with the firm in July 2022 and has since established himself as a highly valued and dependable member of the team. He was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court in September 2024, marking a significant milestone in his professional journey. In his role, he provides consistent and effective support to the firm’s clients, contributing meaningfully to the smooth operation of matters and client service delivery.
He demonstrates a strong commitment to his professional development and approaches his work with diligence, integrity, and attention to detail. Sharan is driven by a genuine desire to grow within the legal profession, and he continually strives to refine his skills and expand his knowledge. His focus remains on assisting the firm’s clients with care and precision, while upholding a high standard of work ethic and professionalism in all that he undertakes.
Desima Beukes
Consulting Attorney
Education:
Baccalaureus Artium (cum laude)
Arts and Philosophy, 1982 (University of Pretoria)
Baccalareus Procurarationis, 1985 (University of South Africa)
Postgraduate Diploma, Tax Law, 1993 (University of Cape Town)
Certificate in Compliance Management, 2012 (University of Cape Town)
Professional:
Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (1986)
Desima has over 30 years’ experience as a lawyer. She has been involved as a drafter in a number of high value mergers and acquisitions. She is known for strong drafting skills and attention to detail. In addition to commercial drafting, she is capable in transaction project management as well as document review, both on-site and remotely.
Desima advocates high quality but affordable commercial legal services to small, medium and large businesses alike. Her working style on larger deals is to get on it with it quietly in the background, by leaving boardroom negotiations to the experts in that field and then taking her instructions from them. That approach frees up her time and allows for clear focus on proverbially crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s, which is where her greatest strength lies. In smaller deals, with perhaps less legally sophisticated clients, Desima enjoys walking clients through the process.