About Us
The firm practices as attorneys in the jurisdictional area of the Limpopo High Court, Polokwane, which is the main provincial seat for the Limpopo Province.
Attorneys are legal practitioners who practice with a Fidelity Fund Certificate. This gives a measure of protection to clients who entrust their funds to attorneys. Attorneys are the first point of contact for a client who needs legal representation. Attorneys will usually open a file, gather the clients’s FICA information, the details of the case, the evidence and run the matter much as a project manager oversees a project to completion. If it is a litigious matter for example where a summons was issued, the attorney will draft and oversee all the pleadings, service of documents, obtaining court dates, briefing and paying an advocate and where judgment was obtained enforce the judgment through the lower courts.
Advocates are also legal practitioners in terms of the Legal Practice Act. They have the right of appearance in the High Courts. Advocates are court specialists. Traditionally advocates could not take instructions directly from the public but this has changed with the Legal Practice Act. Advocates can now accept briefs directly from the public without going through an attorney. In practice attorneys give instructions to an advocate who is available to accept a brief to appear in court. Some advocates currently practice with a fidelity fund certificate and this means the lines between the professions overlap to a degree.
Johan Kriel was admitted to practise as legal practitioner practising with a Fidelity Fund Certificate (attorney) by the Polokwane High Court in Limpopo.
Johan is an experienced businessman who was almost 50 when he enrolled for the LLB degree. This makes him one of the oldest attorneys to have studied law after the Constitution came into force, which has the advantage that there was little to unlearn. In previous years he worked in law enforcement, private security, as an export management consultant in the French speaking Indian Ocean region and Europe, in tourism development in the Natal North Coast, in publishing and printing and then for about twenty years in information technology before moving to law. All the previous experience shaped his understanding of the current state of South African Law. His present studies are in the field of International Economic Law, which deals with international transport and shipping, the World Trade Organization and International Trade Law, the Lex Mercatoria.
Johan has travelled and worked extensively in Africa and Europe and is fluent in French, English and Afrikaans. He takes an interest in classical Latin, Russian and the cultural usages of foreigners and locals.
His various interests include conservation, adventure mountaineering, music, and local affairs, but above all people.
Johan completed his articles with the well known Polokwane firm Marnewick & Greyling.
Johan brings this wealth of experience to bear on any matter which is entrusted to him.