Suppose that a business or some other organisation has a legal problem. In the course of our initial contact De Gier Business Law analyses the matter to determine what it is about. If it is an issue which concerns business or property law, De Gier Business Law takes on the matter itself in its capacity as a specialist law firm and it is dealt with and managed at a superior level.

If our analysis reveals that the matter involves other areas of law, such as those concerned with ICT or liability, De Gier Business Law engages a specialist from within its network.

De Gier Business Law’s network consists of a large number of external specialists, most of whom practice in another law firm and who provide top quality services within their field of expertise. They are quite simply good. When selecting such specialists De Gier Business Law not only examines their legal and professional competence but also other skills, for example, whether a specialist has an approach and style which is appropriate for the client concerned or if he shares the same outlook as De Gier Business Law: no lengthy theoretical discourses but rather the presentation of practical advice based on the concept of what we would do if we were to find ourselves in your situation.

What applies to all of these specialists is that De Gier Business Law only includes them in its network, if it is convinced of their competence and its collaboration with them is set out in a network agreement. Based on this approach De Gier Business Law now has a network through which more than 250 external lawyers and other specialists are active and available.

De Gier Business Law ensures that a skilled specialist within this network is approached and is informed about a particular case. If a client is involved in the same type of cases more frequently, an effort is made to establish a permanent relationship between him and the relevant specialist.

The matter is then discussed thoroughly and analysed in greater detail in a meeting involving De Gier Business Law, its client and the specialist concerned. In this respect the opportunities and threats are assessed, a goal is formulated and a strategy is developed to achieve that aim. Naturally, all of this occurs on the basis of a sound assessment of the chances involved and a cost-benefit analysis.

Acting in consultation a division of labour is agreed for the purposes of pursuing a practical approach. Depending on the case and our client’s requirements we agree on how closely De Gier Business Law will remain involved during the rest of the process. In the case of more complex matters De Gier Business Law remains closely involved in the process and the matter is dealt with together with the specialist concerned. Where a case is less wide-ranging or complex, the specialist is responsible for the bulk of the work and De Gier Business Law’s role is confined to input at the strategic level and monitoring progress. Naturally, this depends on our client’s requirements in this respect, although costs are also considered.

Even if an external specialist prosecutes a case, it is De Gier Business Law who agrees to be engaged and who is responsible for the manner in which it is dealt with. The specialist carries out his work in accordance with a subcontract and all invoices are issued by De Gier Business Law. Our clients therefore only have a single point of contact for the prosecution of these types of cases and also have the assurance that De Gier Business Law has already assessed the appropriateness of the relevant fees (external or otherwise) before they are passed on.

A case is evaluated upon completion. In the event that anything untoward occurs in the interim, De Gier Business Law will resolve it. For example, should it appear that the relationship between our client and an external specialist fails to yield the requisite outcome, another specialist may be engaged without observing a term of notice or De Gier Business Law will deal with the case itself if necessary.