International debt collection and recovery can be one of the most daunting tasks your business will face due to a lack of understanding of the laws of a foreign country, dealing with debtors and debt collection agencies across time zones and multiple currencies. There is the added challenge of finding a reliable and cost effective legal practitioner in your debtor’s jurisdiction, as few business relations in life involve higher trust and confidence than attorney and client.
Van Zyl Ebrahim Cook Attorneys Incorporated is a member of the Legal Practice Council, the statutory body governing the attorneys’ profession in South Africa, ensuring that attorneys comply with the formal requirements of the Legal Practice Act, 2014 (for example the trust monies are dealt with correctly and securely) and the promotion of uniform practice rules and discipline amongst attorneys. Our client list is global and internationally we represent clients in, inter alia, Cyprus, Dubai, United Kingdom, Australia, Zambia and Swaziland.
We conduct debt collection for international clients across the Republic of South Africa. If the terms governing your agreement with your debtor is not South African law, we act as your South African point of contact in collaboration with your local attorneys.
Our international debt collection services and advice include the following:
- Advice on security for costs – It is a general rule of litigation practice that a peregrinus should provide security for a local defendant’s costs. A peregrinus is anyone who is not resident or domiciled within a South African court’s area of jurisdiction and those who are domiciled or resident outside of South Africa.
- Tracing & asset location – We provide tracing services for debtors who have moved premises or cannot be contacted.
- Asset location – Securing a judgment against a debtor is only half the battle won. We make use of reputable asset location and recovery agents to establish firstly your prospects of recovery prior to instituting legal action and also to locate enough assets to satisfy an existing judgment.
- Cost-effective litigation in close proximity to your debtor – We have over time established an effective and professional network of correspondent attorneys who act on our behalf in courts across South Africa.
- Prompt and secure transfer of monies recovered.