Issue 2 2020

44 Acquisition International - Issue 2 2020 Oct19057 Long-standing Lawyer Engineers Success Building up a reputation for excellence is essential when entering the world of construction and engineering. Against a changing landscape, Richard Hoal, a partner at Cox Yeats, has continued to provide his clients with exceptional service. It’s no wonder, therefore, that he has been named as Acquisition International’s Leading Construction and Engineering Lawyer of the Year, South Africa. We took a closer look at Hoal and the firm to find out more. ox Yeats is a leading firm of attorneys, offering a wide range of commercial and legal services ranging from Corporate & Commercial Law all the way through to Empowerment & Transformation. Leading the team for Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure Law, however, is the award-winning Richard Hoal. Practised as an admitted attorney in South Africa for over twenty years, Hoal is able to bring a uniquely qualified perspective to any case involving construction, including disaster investigations and tender disputes. Since joining the firm in 1998, Hoal has gained expertise in all aspects of business law, allowing companies to move forward in the knowledge that they are represented by an expert. Hoal holds a position as a committee member of the Association of Arbitrators of Southern Africa and is also a member of the International Bar Association Committee on International Construction Projects. Like all members of the Cox Yeats team, Hoal has achieved his significant success through an institution-wide approach of understanding a client’s objectives, allowing the team to handle matters of legal concern in such a way as to have the best possible impact on the business. The aim is not to merely provide the best technical advice, but to contribute to ideas that can develop a client’s strategy and policy as a whole. The firm has a national and international reach, providing legal services to many of KZN’s most established businesses and has done so for over fifty years. The attitude of the business has always taken the personal approach, with the client always staying in contact with the attorney responsible for the work. No matter what the problem, Cox Yeats has always avoided rigid departmentalising of its strong team. Instead, each is encouraged to build up a wide knowledge and understanding that can be applied across businesses. Naturally, this means that if an attorney doesn’t match a business need, there is always the option of utilising other members of the team who work in similar areas of interest. Hoal encompasses the ethos of Cox Yeats, especially with regards to its founding principles of integrity and individual customer care. His commitment to his clients, while managing to provide a cost-effective solution is commendable. This is reflected in the clients who remain stanchly loyal to the firm, some of whom have been with it since 1964. Given the success for clients, it’s not surprising that much of Cox Yeats’ workload comes from word of mouth. This suits the boutique law firm fine, with the need to remain adaptable suiting its approach to clients. Cox Yeats has always viewed its relationships with clients as long-term, ongoing and developing as C the need arises. This allows them to be confident in Cox Yeats’ legal expertise and ability to offer pragmatic advice, and ensures that the recommended steps will be applied by the business. Looking forward, Cox Yeats will remain a stimulating environment with the potential for rapid growth. This will ensure that it not only appeals, but retains the younger generation. As the role of IT evolves, so does the role of the law firms in the legal process. Navigating this potential quagmire of information is a great challenge even to the most experienced IT user. In many cases, the important aspects rely on this technology working smoothly. Building that important connection is paramount in construction and in law. Fortunately, Richard Hoal and the team at Cox Yeats are on hand to provide the very best service in the business. Always personable, putting the needs of the client and their company first, it is clear that this attitude has kept the firm on top, and it is this approach that will keeping them going into the future. Company: Cox Yeats Contact: Cheryl Kirsten Website: https://www.coxyeats.co.za/Default.aspx Given the success for clients, it’s not surprising that much of Cox Yeats’ workload comes from word of mouth.