The late Mr. John Leslie Smith founded the firm on the 4^th April 1921 as a family concern. Since its inception the firm has diversified and now offers a complete range of legal services to its clients. In 1997 the Partners incorporated the firm under its present name and the practice is presently situated at its own premises at 332 Jabu Ndlovu Street, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, employing a staff complement in excess of 70 persons.

J. Leslie Smith & Company is an affirmative policy employer and strives to create opportunities to previously disadvantaged communities by offering education plans to assist its staff in achieving their educational goals. The firm is also actively involved with senior citizens, the mentally and physically handicapped, assisting underprivileged children, Hospice, cripple care, sports and other public benefit activities.

The Directors and staff at J Leslie Smith & Company pride themselves on the delivery of a highly efficient standard of personal service and will continue to strive towards growth and continued excellent service into the future.

The Company represents amongst other clients, major corporate clients, financial institutions, and estate agents, and offers a wide range of services, including the following:

Estates, Planning and Administration:

• Administration of Deceased Estates;
• Preparing Wills and Trusts;
• Estate Planning;

Personal:

• Divorce;
• Family matters, e.g. custody of and access to children and maintenance;
• Neighbour law;
• Landlord and Tenant disputes;
• Municipal Law and Rates
• Land Claims
• Environmental Law
• Advice on Firearms law;
• Change of marital status;

Property:

• Sale of Property: houses, flats, simplexes / duplexes, farms;
• Transfer of Property;
• Sectional Title Developments;
• Mortgage Bond Registration;
• Subdivision of Land and Establishment of Townships;

Notarial:

• Antenuptial Contracts;
• Servitudes;
• Notarial Bonds;
• All other aspects of Notarial Practice

Criminal law:

• Representation in District, Regional and High Court Criminal
• Cases including Bail Applications and Adjournments.

Commercial:

• Sale of Businesses / Companies / Close Corporations, including the sale of shares/members’ interests;

• Preparation of Agreements, including Partnership Contracts and Leases;
• Expropriation Disputes;
• Building Disputes;
• Landlord and Tenant Disputes;
• Company, Close Corporation and Trust Registrations;
• Trade and Liquor Licensing, Franchises, Patents, Copyrights, Registration of Trademarks and Trade Names.
• Value Added Tax and Capital Gains Tax;

Litigation:

• Litigation in Magistrate’s and High Courts;
• Representation before Judicial or Quasi Judicial Boards;
• Insurance Law;
• Motor Collisions and Personal Injury Claims;
• Civil Compensation Claims, e.g. defamation, assaults, etc.

Labour:

• Industrial and Labour Relations;
• Labour CourtRepresentation;
• Labour Appeal Court;
• CCMA;
• Disciplinary Hearings;
• Employment Law.