Arbitrators

Justice Malcolm Wallis

Information
  • AArb (B Comm, LLB cum laude (Natal, 1972); PhD (UKZN, 2010)) is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in South Africa. Since his retirement from active service as a judge he has acted as an arbitrator and adjudicator in a number of disputes and is an Honorary Fellow of the Association of Arbitrators of South Africa.
  • He is an AFSA arbitrator and international panel member SCIA. He was an advocate (1973), Senior Counsel (1985). Chair, General Council of the Bar of South Africa (1994-1997); Co chair with Frank Clarke SC, Barristers’ Forum of the IBA (1998-2002); held numerous offices in IBA (1998 to 2008). Honorary member, Australian Bar. Honorary Bencher, Honourable Society of Kings’ Inns, Dublin. Introduced advocacy training in South Africa in 1996. Active trainer in SA and has trained advocacy internationally in the UK, Singapore and Malaysia and international arbitration in Vietnam.
  • He is the author of books on labour (1992) and maritime law (2011) and the section on ‘Courts’ for LAWSA. He has published numerous articles and spoken at many conferences domestically and internationally. Appointed a Judge in the High Court (2009); Labour and Competition Appeal Courts (2010); Supreme Court of Appeal (2011-2022) and Constitutional Court (acting, 2015). Authored over 200 reported judgments. Honorary professor (UKZN, since 2011) teaching maritime law and running a clerking programme for selected senior students. Professor Extraordinary (UFS, 2014-7).
  • Visitor Law Faculty, Cambridge University (Jesus College, 2013) and visitor to Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, Oxford; visiting fellow Mansfield College and Robert S Campbell Visiting Fellow at Magdalen College, Oxford (2017). He was awarded the Inns of Court Commonwealth Judges Fellowship for 2024/2025 and in 2025 will spend three months at the Institute for Advanced Legal Studies at the University of London.

Rate: R40000/day, R4000/h (ex VAT)

Judge Graham Lopes

Information
  • Commenced practicing as an advocate on 5 July 1982
  • Appointed Senior Counsel on 26 March 2003
  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law (UND) 1988
  • Higher Diploma in Arbitration (Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa)) – 1999
  • Judge of the High Court 1 July 2010 – 1 August 2023
  • Fees for arbitration services: R4 000 per hour and R40 000 per day

Michael John Fitzgerald SC

Information
  • Born on 13 March 1951.
  • Matriculated Rondebosch Boys High School 1968.
  • Degree of Bachelor of Arts University of Cape Town, December 1972.
  • Degree of Bachelor of Laws University of Cape Town, June 1975.
  • Article Clerk, Fairbridge, Arderne & Lawton, 1975 – 1976.
  • Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa 1977.
  • Admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, 1978.
  • Practised as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, 1978 to present.
  • Awarded Silk Status 14 December 1995.
  • Acting Judge of the Western Cape High Court: January – June 1997, September 2010.
  • ​​Fees for arbitration services: R4 000 per hour and R40 000 per day, VAT exclusive
  • Married to Marieta Anne Fitzgerald on 18 January 1980 to present and 3 children born of the marriage.
Contact
mjf@mweb.co.za

Colin John Pammenter SC

Information

Academic Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Arts Degree - University of Kwazulu-Natal - 1967
  • Bachelor of Law Degree - University of KwaZulu-Natal - 1970
  • Diploma in Maritime Law - University of KwaZulu-Natal - 1982
  • Certificate in Constitutional Litigation - University of KwaZulu-Natal - 1994
  • Diploma in Tax for Lawyers - University of KwaZulu-Natal - 1996

Professional Qualifications

  • Admitted as an Attorney on 23 May 2071
  • Admitted as an Advocate on 27 November 1978
  • Awarded Senior Counsel status on 20 January 1994

Acting Appointments

I have, on a number of occasions, sat as an Acting Judge in the High Court of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal Division, and once in the South African Labour Court.

Arbitrations

I am a member of both the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa and the Association of Arbitrators (Southem Africa) NPC. I have sat as an Arbitrator in a number of arbitrations, as well as a member of Arbitration Appeal Tribunals.

Reported Cases

To date I have appeared in 73 cases reported in the South African Law Reports, of which 24 involved Admiralty Law.

Areas of Practice

Until about 20 years ago, my main area of practice was in Admiralty Law. However since then, for a number of reasons, I have endeavored to widen my areas of practice which now includes the following:

  • Customs and Excise Law
  • The Administration of Ports in South Africa
  • Administrative Law
  • Constitutional Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Admiralty Law

Stephen Mullins SC

Information
  • BA LLB (UCT) 1981
  • I was admitted as an attorney in 1983 and was a partner in a leading firm 1986 - 1988
  • I commenced practising as an advocate in 1988
  • I was accorded Silk status in 2003
  • I have acted as a Judge the High Court (one reported shipping case as such)
  • I specialise in Maritime Law, Insurance Law and Commercial Law generally.
  • My fees for arbitration services: R4 000 per hour and R40 000 per day, VAT exclusive

Russell MacWilliam SC

Information
  • Admitted as an attorney notary and conveyancer in 1978
  • Commenced practising as an advocate in 1982
  • Appointed Senior Counsel in 2000
  • Specialise in all areas of Maritime Law as well as Insurance and Commercial Law
  • Fees for arbitration services: R4 000 per hour and R40 000 per day, VAT exclusive

Michael Wragge SC

Information
  • Wragge SC was admitted as an attorney during 1984, was admitted as an advocate during
    1989 and has practiced as an advocate at the Cape Bar since then.
  • He took silk during 2005 and has acted as a judge of the Western Cape Division on a number of occasions.
  • He specialises in admiralty and maritime law and has appeared in most local divisions of the
    High Court and in the Supreme Court of Appeal.
  • He has also appeared in arbitrations in South Africa as well as three London arbitrations.
  • He has also given evidence in the London High Court as an expert on Namibian admiralty law.
  • R36,000.00 per day and R3,600.00 per hour

Paul Wallis SC

Information
  • Commenced practice: 2006
  • Appointed Senior Counsel: 2021
  • Rate: R40000/day, R4000/h (ex VAT)

Andrew Pike

Information
  • Admitted as an attorney in 1985
  • Partner at Shepstone & Wylie, Velden Pike Nichols and Bowmans cumulatively for over 30 years
  • Past board member of the Ports Regulator; Fellow of the Institute of Risk Management
  • Specialisation: Shipping, ports, sea and inland terminals, road and rail logistics
  • Fees for arbitration services: R4 000 per hour and R40 000 per day (excluding VAT)

Lisa Mary Mills

Information
  • BA, LLB, LLM (Maritime Law)
  • Advocate at the Durban Bar since 2001
  • Solicitor of England and Wales (Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, London 1998-2000)
  • Attorney, Livingston Leandy Inc. Durban 1995-1998)
  • Advanced Program in Alternative Dispute Resolution (University of Pretoria/AFSA 2022)
  • Specialising in Maritime Law, Insurance and Commercial Law
  • Acted as a Judge of the High Court in Durban (2021) and Pietermaritzburg (2019)
  • Acted as Arbitrator in numerous Commercial Arbitrations
  • President of the Maritime Law Association of South Africa (2022-2024)
  • Rate: R3 500 per hour, R35 000 per day (excl. VAT)

Darryl Cooke

Information
  • Practised as an attorney from 1999-2006, including a year on secondment to a London law firm
  • Commenced practising as an advocate in 2006
  • Specialised in all fields of maritime law
  • Experienced in maritime arbitrations as an arbitrator and practitioner
  • Fees for arbitration services: R3,000/hr or R28,000/day, excluding VAT

James Drummond Mackenzie

Information
  • Born on 3 September 1970
  • Matriculated at Hilton College, 1988
  • BA LLB from the University of Cape Town, 1993
  • Spent 14 years as an articled clerk, and then attorney and partner at Shepstone & Wylie, in Durban and Cape Town. Focussed on wide ranging aspects of maritime law, including in the shipping (wet and dry), logistics, and off-shore sectors. Considerable casualty related experience.
  • Practising as an advocate and member of the Cape Bar since 2008, with a continuing primary speciality in maritime law.
  • Lives in Cape Town with his wife Jules, their three boys, and dog Guiness.
  • Fees for arbitration: R3,500 per hour and R35,000 per day, excl. VAT

Jabu Thobela-Mkhulusi

Information
  •  Education: LLM (Unisa), Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law (King's College, London), Postgraduate Diploma in Tax Law (Stellenbosch),
    LLB (Natal), BSocSc. (Natal)
  • Attorney: 2002 - 2014, Director at Deneys Reitz Inc. (5 years)
  • Associate at Deneys Reitz Inc. (3 years)
  • Advocate: 2014 - date
  • Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation, Administrative Law, Maritime Law, Customary Law, Tax Law, Medical Negligence, Ports Regulation.
  • Rate: R2 700 / hour or R27 000 per day + vat
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