The Definitive Guide For Attorneys In South Africa
The Definitive Guide For Attorneys In South Africa
Family Law, Child & Elder Protection Specialists | Collaborative Divorce Specialist - Schuld Incorporated is a specialist family law firm with over 30 years of experience, focusing exclusively on divorce, child care disputes, domestic violence, maintenance, civil unions, and the legal protection of vulnerable persons, including children and the elderly.
We are pioneers of collaborative divorce in South Africa, having initiated and completed the first interdisiplinary team collaborative divorce in the country. Our collaborative approach can reduce divorce costs by up to 70%, shorten resolution time, and protect children from unnecessary conflict. For this reason, mediation and collaborative law are always our first port of call before litigation.
In complex and high-conflict matters, we work within an interdisciplinary collaborative law team, which includes attorneys, family coaches (mental health professionals), child specialists, and financial neutrals. This team-based approach allows us to address legal, emotional, and financial issues simultaneously, resulting in faster, more stable, and more sustainable outcomes for families.
We are particularly experienced in high-conflict and psychologically complex matters, including cases involving mental illness, addiction, cognitive decline, parental alienation, and financial abuse. When court intervention is required, we act decisively to secure protection, stability, and enforceable outcomes.
Our firm regularly acts in:
• Defended and high-conflict divorces
• Child custody, guardianship, care and contact disputes
• Urgent child protection applications
• Domestic violence and harassment matters
• Maintenance applications and enforcement
• Civil union and same-sex family law matters
• Protection of the elderly and vulnerable adults
• Curator bonis and curator ad personam applications
• Acting as curator bonis
• Relocation and international parenting disputes
Most family law matters handled by our firm are concluded within 12 months, compared to the two to five years typically seen in traditional litigation, due to our early-resolution strategy and structured negotiation process.
Schuld Inc Attorneys acts for local and international clients (USA, UK, Europe, Australia) and is trusted for its ethical, transparent, and protection-focused approach. We are affiliated with the Divorce Centre and work closely with mental health professionals, medical experts, and social workers to ensure outcomes that are legally sound and humanely sustainable.
Case Example (Anonymised)
A parent approached our firm after being denied contact with their children for over two years due to a high-conflict separation involving mental health challenges. Through a structured interdisciplinary collaborative process combined with targeted court intervention, we secured the appointment of an independent expert, restored contact progressively, and finalised a parenting plan that was made an order of court — all within nine months.
In another matter, we successfully obtained urgent High Court relief to protect an elderly parent from financial exploitation, resulting in the appointment of an independent curator bonis and full financial safeguarding within weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes your collaborative process different from mediation?
Our collaborative process is conducted by an interdisciplinary team, which includes lawyers, family coaches (mental health professionals), child specialists, and financial neutrals which all signs a contract with the clients to not litigate. If a matter derails the whole team and the firms has to withdraw. The financial incentive is to settle. This allows legal, emotional, and financial issues to be addressed together, making outcomes faster, more stable, and more durable than mediation alone.
Do you only litigate, or do you mediate as well?
We always attempt resolution first through collaborative law and mediation. Litigation is used only when necessary to protect children, vulnerable adults, or legal rights.
What is collaborative divorce and how does it save costs?
Collaborative divorce is a structured, lawyer-assisted process where parties commit to resolving matters without court. When supported by an interdisciplinary team, this approach can reduce legal costs by up to 80% and significantly shorten the time to resolution.
How long does a typical family law matter take?
Most of our family law matters are concluded within 12 months, compared to the 2–3 years common in traditional litigation, because we focus on early resolution and structured negotiation.
Do you handle cases involving mental illness or addiction?
Yes. We regularly act in matters involving mental health challenges, addiction, cognitive decline, and high-conflict dynamics, working closely with family coaches, psychologists, and medical professionals.
Do you assist with protection of the elderly?
Yes. We assist with urgent protection orders, High Court applications for curator bonis, and ongoing financial and personal oversight for elderly and vulnerable adults.
Do you act as curator bonis?
Yes. Our firm is experienced in acting as curator bonis, where independence, transparency, and court compliance are essential.
Do you assist international clients?
Yes. We act for clients in the USA, UK, Europe, and Australia, including cross-border parenting and relocation matters.
Do you handle civil unions and same-sex family law matters?
Yes. We are specialists in civil union and same-sex family law, including parenting, maintenance, and property disputes.
LPC Firm Number: 58651
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