What is Corporate Law?

Corporate law is a complex and dynamic field that plays a crucial role in economic and social development.  Corporate and Commercial Law involves the interactions and transactions within and between:

• Companies and other juristic entities and individuals,
• Shareholders and companies, and
• Shareholders of a company (themselves).

Corporate law can be described as the body of laws, rules, and regulations that govern the formation, organisation, operation and dissolution of corporations and other business entities. It includes a variety of legal topics, such as company law, securities law, competition law, employment law, tax law and contract law, among others.

The primary legislation governing corporate law in South Africa is the Companies Act of 2008, which sets out the legal framework for the formation, governance, and management of companies in the country. The act also establishes the duties and responsibilities of company directors and other officers, and provides for the rights and protections of shareholders and creditors.

Other important laws and regulations that impact corporate law include the Labour Relations Act, the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and the Competition Act. These laws regulate the employment practices of companies, promote economic transformation and empowerment, and ensure fair competition in the marketplace.

Overall, corporate law is designed to provide a stable and predictable legal environment for businesses to operate in, while protecting the interests of shareholders, creditors, and other stakeholders. Some of the key aspects of corporate law include:

1. Company Formation: Corporate law governs the process of forming a company, including the legal requirements for registration, the types of companies that can be formed, and the procedures for obtaining the necessary permits and licences.
2. Corporate Governance: Corporate law sets out the rules and regulations for the governance of companies, including the roles and responsibilities of directors, the rights and duties of shareholders, and the procedures for holding meetings and making decisions.
3. Shareholder Rights: Shareholders are an essential part of corporate law. The law provides for their right to participate in company decisions, receive dividends and protect their interests in case of corporate actions that could affect them negatively.
4. Corporate Finance: Corporate law also regulates the way in which companies raise capital, including through the issuance of securities such as shares and bonds, and the obligations of companies to disclose financial information to the public.
5. Competition Law: Competition law aims to promote fair competition in the marketplace by regulating anti-competitive practices such as monopolies, price-fixing and the abuse of market dominance.
6. Employment Law: Corporate law also covers labour relations, including the rights of employees and employers, the terms of employment, and the procedures for resolving labour disputes.
7. Tax Law: Corporate law encompasses tax law, which governs the tax obligations of companies and the procedures for tax compliance.

Caveat Services

As a business finds its feet and matures within the market, it becomes more and more important to use the services of a specialist lawyer. Corporate lawyers are experienced in all matters related to companies, their stakeholders, their operations and activities, and their compliance with the applicable laws. By regularly using the services of a corporate lawyer, a company will improve its robustness and become legally compliant, making it more sustainable and ultimately increasing its value.

Caveat has been supporting in-house legal teams in some of the largest corporate entities for years, and we offer the following range of services:

• Quality secondments from seasoned corporate lawyers who can “hit the ground running” and provide support on specific projects, workflow backlogs, maternity leave cover or periods where the company is trying to fill a vacancy;
• Intelligent design and staffing of in-house legal functions;
• Tech system design and rollout advice and assistance;
• Training for staff on compliance with existing procedures and provision of easy-to-use infographics;
• Missing link policy and procedure design and build, staff training on its compliant implementation, for example procurement, contract management, contract approvals, and customer and supplier onboarding policies and procedures;
• Contract template suites, including for intra-company/group and cross-border relationships;
• Staff legal compliance training.

Legal compliance training 

Support your staff in the following areas with legal compliance training offered by Caveat:

Employment 

• Occupational Health and Safety (managerial level)
• Harassment at the workplace (aimed at all levels of staff)
• COVID19 at the workplace (managerial level) 
• Disciplinary hearings – how to run fairly and write an outcome (aimed at managers who might have to chair hearings) 
• Cultural Diversity in the workplace
• CCMA training: how to prepare for conciliation and arbitration (aimed at managers who represent their employer at the CCMA)
• Shop stewards – capacitate them and improve their skills in dealing with matters at the workplace (aimed at shop stewards)

Commercial

• Corporate governance requirements in terms of the Companies Act and Regulations and King Code 
• Commercial policies and procedures (for example procurement, contract management, contract approvals, and customer and supplier onboarding policies and procedures).
• Contract law and principles – for business, procurement and sales functions 

Data Protection

• POPIA and GDPR 
• Policies, processes, manuals and their implementation
• Data breaches and how to handle them

Cybercrimes Act

• Electronic Communication and Transactions Act (‘ECTA”) 
• Guidance on data protection within certain other African jurisdictions 
• Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABAC)

Financial Services

• Collective investment schemes and Hedge Funds under CISCA 
• FAIS (though this may soon be replaced by COFI)
• FICA
• Twin Peaks regulatory model and COFI
• National Credit Act
• Consumer Protection Act

Our large team of specialist corporate and commercial lawyers can assist your business with a variety of corporate transactions and agreements, and advise you on applicable laws and regulations, compliance and corporate governance. For more information about Caveat Legal, or to contact the team, please visit www.caveatlegal.com

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