Cox Yeats is a proudly KwaZulu-Natal grown brand. The fundamental DNA of the law firm is: To make a positive difference in our world and to do this by consistently being the most dynamic and innovative law firm possible, offering highly personalised expertise to our clients.
Currently, Cox Yeats is the largest law firm based only in KwaZulu-Natal. The boutique law firm, which operates locally, nationally and internationally, offers growing expertise and specialisation in the commercial and personal legal fields.
Graham Cox established the firm in 1964 more than 55 years ago. Jeremy Yeats joined him and became a partner in March 1967. Their passion for law combined with their astute business sense, and with the help of exceptional partners, resulted in the growth of a well respected firm.
About 10 years ago, Cox Yeats moved to uMhlanga Ridge making it one of the first law firms to relocate to north of the city centre. Since then, the firm has grown to more than double its size.
To accommodate this growth, Cox Yeats will soon be making yet another bold move this time to its new purpose-built premises on the Ridge. Partner Richard Hoal describes the architectural theme of the whole building, interior and exterior, as "mid-century modern" a timeless blend of modern and tradition with internal skylights and wrap-around library, befitting the ethos of the firm and its 45 lawyers.
The law firm has traditionally been male dominated. However, the staff now comprises almost 50% women and 50% male professionals, which is a gender transformation statistic of which Cox Yeats is justly proud. Many of its professionals are listed in top legal publications, such as Best Lawyers as well as various industry-specific guides to the worlds leading lawyers.
In addition, the up and coming young blood, who are often dynamic and innovative, complement the senior partners who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, providing the firm's clients with the best possible service. Their combined efforts have seen the company embracing the fast-changing and challenging world with enthusiasm and excellence.
Cox Yeats attorneys are made partners sooner than most law firms in order to give recognition to their roles and responsibilities within the firm.
The managing partner, Michael Jackson, has a very flat structure of leadership and favours engaging all in the partners in a collaborative style in order to share control to get effective and efficient results.
In line with this collaborative approach, the Cox Yeats signature strategy is to group professionals and specialists in their fields into teams. At the firm specialisation - and improving specialisation - is important Jackson says.
These specialist teams comprise Corporate & Natural Resources; Construction, Engineering and Infrastructure; Maritime & Insurance, Property Services; Labour; and Insolvency & Business Rescue.
All teams offer a client focused approach and any legal solutions offered are not prescribed but are evaluated on how they will impact on a client's overall business. In this regard, the firm takes time to get to understand the clients business intimately. It is a business and personal relationship, not just a case or file number,explains Jackson.
Cox Yeats believes that everything must be to the benefit of clients. The firm has had some clients for 50 years plus and who trust their attorneys implicitly. The partners believe that the small things that the firm pays attention to are often those that make the difference.
Apart from their area of focus, each attorney in these teams can offer a full range of legal services to their clients. All attorneys have a respect for the law and its ethics and can present what are often complex topics in a clear and non-technical way.
In addition, Cox Yeats continues to empower its people through offering training and development opportunities and is passionate about teaching and nurturing young students.
As result of its strategy and ethos, Cox Yeats has consistently been a top achiever in the small law firm category in the PMR.africa Awards. In the 2018 awards, it received the Diamond Arrow Award in the medium law firms category, effectively being at the top with the large corporate national and internationally located law firms in South Africa.
The recognition that the firm receives may be attributed to the focus on our clients, to our pro bono work, to our mentoring of graduates and more. It's the spirit that sets us apart and will ensure we progressively grow in people and expertise so that we continue to deliver the best possible legal service to our clients, concludes Jackson.
Full Name of Company: Cox Yeats Attorneys
Nature of Business: Legal Services / Attorneys
Services: Specialised Legal Services
Date Established: 1964
No. of Employees: 92
Bankers: Standard Bank (Primary)
Memberships: SA Law Society
B-BBEE Status: Level 2
VISION
To make a positive difference in our world and to do this by consistently being the most dynamic and innovative law firm that offers highly personalised expertise.
MISSION
Cox Yeats is a leading law firm that offers personalised, practical and effective legal solutions to clients both in KwaZulu-Natal and further afield. With a diverse range of specialised services, our partners take on legal challenges of any scale and complexity, while always acting in the best interests of our clients.
HERITAGE
Cox Yeats Attorneys is a leading law firm, which is characterised by its focus on commercial legal services. The firm was established in 1964, over fifty years, ago by Graham Cox. Jeremy Yeats joined him and became a partner in March 1967. Based on the uMhlanga Ridge, Cox Yeats is the largest law firm based only in KwaZulu-Natal and comprises one of the largest commercial teams of any legal firm in the province.
The firm's two core principles, which were the foundations on which Graham Cox built the legal firm, were integrity and individual care for his clients. Now, says Managing Partner Michael Jackson, these principles have continued to shape the firm. Coupled with a young and energetic Cox Yeats team of attorneys, these principles have resulted in significant growth and the creation of an exciting story.
LEADERSHIP
Over the last eight years, the boutique firm has grown from having ten partners with a total of fourteen lawyers to twenty eight partners with a total of forty six lawyers, all of whom who are fully committed to the firm.
Although Jackson is the managing partner, the senior partner attorneys feel that they are being led rather directed. While the partners all have very strong A personalities, they believe that have the same mentality and are on a journey, heading in the same direction together. In order to facilitate this approach, the firm partnership meetings every month, which participative meetings, as opposed to Jackson having top down leadership approach.
PEOPLE
Further to this approach, Cox Yeats tends to have relationships with its staff, which are built on a culture of respect for all, whether a junior or senior member staff. Consequently, there are fewer staff that leave stay on 'well into their retirement years'. "New attorneys are generally hired from students have spent time in the firm. We work with each other very closely, rather than independently, so it is important to employ people that we get on with and who share common values."
Values such as integrity, care, being progressive and moving forward with innovative trends, are integral to the manner in which all staff tackle their duties. The career path in Cox Yeats is very progressive as junior attorneys are promoted to partners rapidly. This approach is very attractive to young attorneys as this positive structure is not duplicated in many other law firms. Cox Yeats' strong body of young attorneys also provide a solid base for the future of the firm.
"The key ingredient for making someone to fit at Cox Yeats is in the pursuit of excellence and wanting to be being the best that they possible can. We try to create an environment where a person can live up to their potential," explains Jackson.
SUCCESS
Cox Yeats' signature strategy is to place professionals into specialised teams concentrating on particular fields who then connect directly with the clients. The teams also draw on other teams' expertise, which creates much attention to detail and vibrant "cross-pollination" that makes the firm a "true life partner" for clients. There are seven teams with two teams concentrating on Construction and Engineering, two teams concentrating on Property, a team focusing on Corporate Law and Natural Resources, a team focusing on Labour and the remaining team focusing on business rescue and company reorganisations.
Each team has its own structure and unique personality. The teams allow for a pooling of skills and a co-operation of thought and action that has resulted in a high quality of service both in respect of response time and expertise. Each matter may have more than one area of law involved and of significance is that the attorneys are all open to others drawing on their respective expertise to find solutions.
Says Jackson, "I think that the reason why we are successful is that we have some incredible people. We have merely 50 professionals collectively working together to solve a problem. We achieve amazing things."
CLIENTS
As Cox Yeats is about people, the firm values the relationships that the firm has built with its clients. Consequently, many of the Cox Yeats' clients have been with the firm for more than 30 years. A focus of the senior partners is to introduce younger attorneys to key people within organisations so that these relationships may be maintained going forward. This strategy ensures that Cox Yeats stays connected to its clients at all levels.
Central to the approach of doing things differently, is an emphasis on building relationships by getting to know the client, their business and the problem they may be facing. Cox Yeats does not have a 'one size' for all approach but finds the best solution for each situation. The attorneys attempt to sort out each problem based on the needs of the client rather than subscribing a solution. Cox Yeats goes beyond the immediate problem and looks at the bigger picture to see how the solution will impact the organisation as a whole to understand how they can help clients going forward. "I think this is what clients' value in their interaction with Cox Yeats," explains Jackson.
FUTURE
The last few years have brought much change to the legal and business profession while technology has made it necessary for lawyers to adapt in the way they practice. Jackson says that the firm has recognised not only the need to keep abreast of the times but to keep focused on what is clearly the most important element of their operation - the needs of the client. Cox Yeats intends to remain awesome...
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