Professor Emil Brincker and Natalie Napier join SA Law Firm Cliffe Dekker
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr recently announced that Professor Emil Brincker, one of South Africa’s most experienced and celebrated tax lawyers, has joined its fast growing Tax practice. Emil joined the Johannesburg office from Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs where he was a director.
In 1992, Emil obtained his doctorate on company law and his thesis related to the financial assistance by a company in relation to share acquisitions. He graduated from of the University of Stellenbosch, where he also obtained a Master of Laws (cum laude) specialising in Commercial Law, a LLB (cum laude) and a BCom (cum laude). He also has a Higher Diploma in Tax Law (cum laude) from Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). He was offered a part-time professorship from RA during 1999.
Emil was the first attorney to appear in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Erf 3183/1 Ladysmith v CIR. He has authored and co-authored numerous books and articles, and has advised on billions of rands of structured finance transactions.
He is also a Member of the Special Board for Income Tax Appeals hearing tax matters for 10 years, Member of the Executive Committee of the South African Fiscal Association, a Member of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces and has been involved in numerous empowerment transactions.
Emil has been named by the UK-based Practical Law Company as the leading tax practitioner in South Africa for the past six years (2003 – 2008) and, for the past four years (2005 – 2008), as the top leading individual in tax in South Africa, in Chambers Global Guide and, the International Tax Review’s Word Tax guide, and by Legal 500 and the International Financial Law Review, IFLR1000, for the last three years (2006 – 2008).
He is also listed as one of the top 250 global tax advisors by Tax Directors Handbook, 2008 and as one of the ‘Best Lawyers’ (Tax) in the inaugural South African edition of ‘Best Lawyers International, 2008.
Chris Ewing, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted to welcome a practitioner of Emil’s calibre to our firm. Emil’s expertise will take our Tax practice to the next level at a time when clients are looking for specialised knowledge and experience.
Emil’s experience includes the areas of corporate finance, corporate reorganisations and restructuring, export finance, funding, general banking and commercial including derivative transactions, empowerment transactions, JSE Limited and Securities Regulation Panel, project finance and tax law, including income tax, value added tax, stamp duties, PAYE, capital gains tax and other fiscal statutes.
The Firm has also announced that Natalie Napier has joined the firm as a director in its Tax practice in Johannesburg. Natalie, who also joins from Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs, has particular experience in the tax implications arising from Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transactions and drafting the contractual framework of these transactions. Through her involvement with the legal preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Natalie has gained substantial experience in the legal aspects and tax considerations associated with organising an event of this scale and nature, and the interrelationship between many role players including government, the stadia and host cities.
Natalie holds the BSc (Town and Regional Planning) and LLB (cum laude) degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand, and she has Higher Diplomas in Company Law and Tax Law, both obtained with distinction.