van der Walt, Tjaart (Adv, SC)
Tjaart van der Walt SC is a senior member of The Maisels Group of Advocates in Sandton, admitted as Advocate of the High Court of South Africa in 1995. His practice comprises general commercial arbitration, adjudication, mediation, and litigation with a focus on the law of construction, contract, delict, and property. His court appearances over more than 30 years include the High Courts, Supreme Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court of the Republic of South Africa and the High Courts of neighbouring Southern African states including Botswana, Namibia, and Swaziland. The judgments in 13 of his litigious matters have been reported in the SA Law Reports, the All-SA Law Reports, and the Commercial Law Reports. He has acted as Judge of the High Court of South Africa and has been actively involved in Arbitration, Adjudication and Mediation since 1995. He accepts instructions and appointments on a full-time basis as Advocate, Arbitrator, Adjudicator, Mediator and Party Representative in litigious matters and domestic and international commercial arbitrations, adjudications, and mediations.
His industry specific exposure includes construction, engineering, petroleum, coal-, gold- and platinum mining, agriculture, food and beverage, telecommunications, aviation, road- and rail transport, short- and long-term insurance, pension funds, environmental- and water law, medical disputes, forestry, saw milling and banking law.
Van der Walt is the Vice-chair, a Fellow, Rules-, Nominations- and Management Committee member and a Director of the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), a Fellow and Full Faculty member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a Life Member of the Society of Mediators (UK), a President’s Panel Member of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) and a Member of the International Division of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA). He is a Fellowship Course and Construction Specialisation Course Tutor and Examiner for the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), an accredited International Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Mediator of the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa’s International Division.
Van der Walt is an internationally accredited Mediator and Conflict Manager certified by the Civil Mediation Council (UK), the Society of Mediators (UK), the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) to mediate construction, contractual and general commercial disputes.
Van der Walt fulfills leading functions on various professional bodies including the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), the Management Committee of the Maisels Group of Advocates, and Committees of the Johannesburg Bar Council.
• In Arbitration over 27 years: As sole arbitrator, arbitral tribunal member, arbitral appeal tribunal member and party representative in numerous local and international construction related and commercial matters on a continuous basis between commercial entities, and between commercial entities and local and national government departments arising from contracts including JBCC, NEC, GCC, FIDIC and others on large projects including for example Medupi, Kusile, the Walvis Bay Coal Terminal, various housing projects, road building and other similar disputes.
• In Adjudication over 27 years: As sole adjudicator, DAB member and party representative in numerous local and international construction related and commercial matters on a continuous basis between commercial entities, and between commercial entities and local and national government departments arising from contracts including JBCC, NEC, GCC, FIDIC and others on large projects including for example Medupi, Kusile, the Walvis Bay Coal Terminal, various housing projects, road building and other similar disputes.
• In Mediation/Amicable Settlement over 27 years:
Continuous involvement in the mediation of commercial and construction disputes and in legal professional matters involving advocates, attorneys, and members of the public.