Senior Litigation Attorney – Defended Banking Litigation, Insolvency & Recoveries

SUMMARY:
An established Law Firm based in Pretoria East is looking for a Senior Litigation Attorney – Defended Banking Litigation, Insolvency & Recoveries (10+ Years PAE). 

Please read below to see if you qualify for this exciting opportunity.

POSITION INFO:
Minimum Requirements:

• Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa with no less than 10 years’ post-admission experience.

• Extensive senior-level experience in defended banking litigation within the High Court, with a proven track record in complex, high-value secured recoveries.

• Demonstrated expertise in foreclosure, insolvency, deceased estates, business rescue and liquidation matters where financial institutions are secured or preferent creditors.

• Strong command of the National Credit Act, Insolvency Act, Administration of Estates Act, Companies Act, Uniform Rules of Court, and Superior Courts Act.

• Established experience engaging directly with banking executives and credit risk stakeholders on litigation strategy and recovery planning.

• Strategic Management of a defended foreclosure and secured asset litigation portfolio, including strategy formulation and risk assessment.

• Drafting and settling of complex pleadings, including Particulars of Claim, Declarations, Opposing Affidavits, Replying Affidavits, Heads of Argument, Practice Notes and Appeal documentation.

• Handling Rule 129 compliance, summary judgment proceedings, rescissions, applications to declare property especially executable and post-judgment processes.
• Court appearances in opposed matters, case management conferences, judicial case management proceedings and settlement negotiations.
• Engagement with bank clients at management level, including reporting on litigation strategy, risk exposure, provisioning considerations and recovery prospects.
• Oversight of execution processes, including warrants of attachment (movable and immovable), sales in execution, and interaction with sheriffs and conveyancers.
• Ability to manage a high-volume defended portfolio while maintaining strict turnaround times and quality control.
• Supervision, mentorship and technical oversight of junior attorneys and support staff to ensure quality control and procedural compliance.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.

• Advanced drafting and analytical skills.
• Ability to balance legal risk, reputational considerations and financial recovery objectives.
• Strong negotiation and settlement skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills at a professional and executive level.
• High level of accountability, decisiveness, and attention to detail.
• Resilience under pressure and ability to manage strict court-driven timelines.
• Leadership ability with a collaborative and solution-driven approach
• Strong interpersonal presence with the ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with banking stakeholders, counsel, and internal team members.
• High emotional intelligence and professional maturity, with the ability to manage difficult conversations, sensitive matters, and opposing parties with composure.
• Client-facing confidence — capable of engaging at executive and credit committee level while remaining approachable and solutions-focused.

• Proficient in Microsoft Word (advanced drafting), Excel (reporting and analysis), and Outlook.
• Strong working knowledge of legal case management systems (e.g., DM1, CACS, Excalibur, OCS, Lexpro or similar).
• Comfortable with digital court platforms, online case tracking systems, and electronic document management systems.

• Experience acting for major commercial banks in defended High Court recoveries.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive or high-value matters requiring strategic oversight.
• Commercially astute, solutions-driven, and capable of operating with minimal supervision at a senior level.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to elevate team performance and standards.