Emily West

Director

Emily West is a Director in our Trusts & Estates practice.

Generally, Emily specializes in cross-border estate planning and administration of deceased estates, including related tax consequences both locally and abroad. She has experience drafting wills for various jurisdictions and providing ancillary advice thereon.

As a Notary Public, Emily is able to execute antenuptial contracts and legally authenticate documents for use locally and abroad. She is also able to attend to administrator applications with the Master of the High Court or advise regarding curator applications in respect of individuals who are unable to manage their affairs.

She has various trust law expertise, including the creation of local trusts and providing ancillary advice in respect thereof, consideration of offshore trust structures and associated advice from a South African law perspective and the administration of both local and offshore trusts. Her particular interest lies in the creation of local trusts, including Sharia compliant trusts and public benefit organisation trusts, the latter of which hold significant value in the mining and minerals sector. Additionally, she provides valuable insight from a trust law perspective with regards to corporate trusts, including BBBEE trusts and employee share incentive scheme trusts. She is also able to provide bespoke training to trustees and corporate administrators to ensure compliance with the relevant trust documentation and legislation.

Emily West

About Emily

About Emily

Emily joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Candidate Attorney in January 2015 and has gained experience in the following practice areas – Dispute Resolution; Trusts & Estates; Real Estate and Corporate & Commercial. She was appointed as an Associate in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2020. Emily was appointed Director in 2024.

Emily is part of the Trusts & Estates practice which was recently ranked in Band 1 for Private Wealth Law in Chambers Global 2024.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • LLB, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
  • Year of Admission as Attorney and Notary Public: 2017
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council
  • Registered as a tax practitioner: 2021

Languages

Languages

  • English

About Emily

Emily joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Candidate Attorney in January 2015 and has gained experience in the following practice areas – Dispute Resolution; Trusts & Estates; Real Estate and Corporate & Commercial. She was appointed as an Associate in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2020. Emily was appointed Director in 2024.

Emily is part of the Trusts & Estates practice which was recently ranked in Band 1 for Private Wealth Law in Chambers Global 2024.

Credentials

Education

  • LLB, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
  • Year of Admission as Attorney and Notary Public: 2017
  • Registered with the Legal Practice Council
  • Registered as a tax practitioner: 2021

Languages

  • English

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