Key Leadership Biographies

We believe that exceptional skill is more important than size and to that end we take pride in the fact that the people who join our firm are the best in their field with the ability to outperform the competition at every level.This section showcases certain members of our leadership team, highlighting key areas of expertise and high level biographical information.


Des Williams
Chairman
Des Williams has been Chairman since 2005 and is an active member and former head of the Litigation department. Named as a leading lawyer by a variety of international rankings, Des is a director of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa and an active member of the International Bar Association. He has a BA LLB, LLM and Higher Diplomas in Company Law and Tax from the University of the Witwatersrand.
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Pierre le Roux
Deputy Chairman
Pierre le Roux became Deputy Chairman when Werksmans merged with Jan S. de Villiers in 2009. He is a commercial lawyer who specialises in financial transactions and was named a recommended lawyer in Corporate/M&A by PLC Which Lawyer in 2008/9. Pierre has a BCom LLB from Stellenbosch University, a Graduate Diploma in Tax from the University of Cape Town and is also a qualified conveyancer and notary.
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Corlett Manaka
Director
Corlett Manaka became a director in 2006 after the merger with Nalane Manaka, a leading black-owned law firm. A litigation specialist, Corlett has also actively assisted in the drafting of various regulations. He has a BProc LLB from the University of the North and a Certificate in Competition Law from the University of the Witwatersrand.
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David Hertz
Director
David Hertz has been a director since 1993 and heads the firm’s Litigation department. He specialises in litigation and dispute resolution in five main practice areas: Competition, Media & Communications, Mergers & Acquisitions, Technology and Intellectual Property. David features prominently as a leading lawyer in numerous ratings of the legal profession. He has a BA LLB from the University of the Witwatersrand.
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Gareth Driver
Director
Gareth Driver has been a director since 1997 and heads the firm’s Commercial department. He advises on commercial transactions, predominantly mergers and acquisitions across a number of sectors. Gareth is named as a leading lawyer in several well-respected international legal publications. He obtained BA, LLB and LLM degrees with distinction from the University of the Witwatersrand.
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Jeremy Botha
Chief Executive Officer
Jeremy Botha has been Werksmans’ Chief Executive Officer since 2006. He is a chartered accountant with a B Com from the University of Cape Town and a BCompt Hons from the University of South Africa. He is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a background in financial management and taxation.
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Sandile July
Director
Sandile July has been a director since 2006. He is a labour law specialist who frequently acts as an arbitrator at bargaining councils and represents employers and employees at various tribunals. Sandile is a member of the Law Society of the Northern Province and has a BProc LLB and a Higher Diploma in Tax Law from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Diploma in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Pretoria.
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