Civil & Commercial Litigation
Contractual disputes, debt recovery, shareholder fall-outs, urgent applications, and trial proceedings in the High Court and Magistrates' Court.
Litigation Attorneys · Gqeberha
Focused litigation.
Personal service.
De Swardt & Associates Inc. is a boutique litigation firm led by Donovan de Swardt, acting in commercial disputes, intellectual property and competition matters, property litigation and transfers, and family law.
Practice Areas
Where we focus.
The firm acts in a focused range of disputes and advisory work, informed by day-to-day litigation experience in the courts.
Intellectual Property & Trade Marks
Trade mark infringement, passing off, unlawful competition, and the protection of registered marks, product get-up, and commercial goodwill.
Corporate & Commercial Advisory
Contract drafting, review, and negotiation for commercial transactions including cross-border agreements, supplier terms, NDAs, and risk allocation.
Property & Land Use
Commercial lease negotiation, SPLUMA disputes, evictions, property usage rights, land use compliance, and conveyancing.
Family Law
Contested and mediated divorces, maintenance disputes, variation applications, guardianship proceedings, and children's matters under the Children's Act.
Sports & Entertainment Law
Athlete sponsorship agreements, social media and content structuring, exclusivity provisions, and intellectual property in athlete-generated content.
Recent Work
A snapshot of recent instructions.
The firm regularly acts on matters spanning intellectual property, high-value commercial agreements, property law, and family disputes.
Instituting High Court proceedings on behalf of a national brand owner, advancing claims for registered trade mark infringement under the Trade Marks Act 194 of 1993 and common-law passing off. The matter concerns a competitor's deliberate adoption of confusingly similar product packaging, trade dress, and branding.
Drafting and negotiating multiple athlete sponsorship agreements for a national FMCG brand, including structuring social media campaign obligations, content deliverables, and exclusivity provisions. The engagement also involved drafting ancillary intellectual property instruments.
Reviewing, negotiating and drafting amendments to a multi-tenant industrial lease with a total commitment in excess of R70 million over the lease term, including advising on tenant obligations, escalation clauses, and renewal options.
Providing a comprehensive legal opinion on a cross-border commercial contract for the importation of industrial production machinery valued in excess of R21 million, including review of supplier terms, factory acceptance testing protocols, and risk allocation.
Defending property owners in action proceedings arising from a land use and building compliance dispute under SPLUMA, involving pre-trial preparation, building plan evidence, and engagement with opposing counsel.
Acting in a contested maintenance variation dispute, including drafting and filing a counter-application to substitute a maintenance order, supported by detailed financial evidence and affidavits.
About the Firm
A litigation-led boutique for
high-stakes matters.
Donovan de Swardt
Director · Attorney (LLB, UNISA)
De Swardt & Associates Inc. focuses on disputes that carry real commercial and personal consequences for clients — where strategy, preparation and court experience make the difference.
Matters are handled directly by Donovan de Swardt, ensuring clear advice and decisive execution. The firm does not operate a volume-based model; instead, it takes on a manageable caseload to give every matter the attention it requires.
Direct, senior attention
Files are not handed down a hierarchy. You deal with Donovan de Swardt directly on strategy, correspondence and court appearances.
Outcome-driven strategy
Each matter is approached with a clear end-point in mind — settlement where it makes sense, firm litigation where it doesn't.
Clear, practical advice
You receive frank views on prospects, risk and cost — so that decisions are informed by both law and commercial reality.
Eastern Cape focused
Based in Gqeberha, the firm acts for private and corporate clients across the Eastern Cape, with trusted counsel relationships where needed.
How We Work
A structured, practical approach.
Every matter follows a disciplined process designed to achieve the best outcome efficiently.
01
Initial Assessment
We take detailed instructions, review key documents and identify the real issues in dispute. You receive a candid view on prospects, risk and cost.
02
Strategy & Demand
A litigation plan is agreed and implemented: targeted correspondence, without prejudice negotiations and, where appropriate, formal demands or notices.
03
Proceedings & Resolution
If the matter cannot sensibly settle, we proceed with tightly drafted pleadings and applications, driving the matter to trial or hearing as efficiently as possible.
Conveyancing
Transfer costs calculator.
Estimate the costs of transferring a property into your name. Based on the current SARS transfer duty rates, Law Society guideline tariff, and Deeds Office fees.
This calculator provides a guideline estimate for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or binding quotation. Estimates exclude bond registration costs, rates and levy clearances, and compliance certificates. For a formal quotation, please contact the firm.
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Contact
Book a consultation.
If you are facing a dispute, divorce, insurance repudiation or commercial issue that requires focused attention, you can contact Donovan de Swardt directly.
Mobile
Office
Email
Address
Third Floor, Regus House,
66 Ring Road, Greenacres,
Gqeberha, 6045
66 Ring Road, Greenacres,
Gqeberha, 6045