Lara is a partner in the Dispute Resolution Practice at Webber Wentzel where she heads up the Cape Town team.
She has extensive experience gained over more than fifteen years in insolvency related matters (including liquidations) and has a particular interest in and knowledge of business rescue. She has acted for liquidators and other clients in forensic investigations by running formal enquiries as well as the resulting litigation. Other areas of expertise include contractual litigation and litigation in the financial services field.
She has also advised international and local clients in relation to various matters concerning the maritime industry.
Areas of expertise
Commercial litigation and settlement of commercial disputes
Business Rescue
Insolvency law, liquidations and sequestrations
Enforcement of securities
Shareholder disputes
Top matters
Acting for the business rescue practitioner of Southgold mine.
Acting for the business rescue practitioner of Resource Ballast Technology.
Acting for Eurocopter SAS in various insolvency and business rescue related litigation.
Together with a forensic team acted for the curators of Ovation Global Investment Nominees and Services (Proprietary) Limited as well as for various liquidators in recovering approximately ZAR216 million of investors' funds lost in Fidentia/Ovation financial collapse. Ovation is a linked service investment provider, which operates in the financial services sector and currently has approximately ZAR4,6 billion under management.
Advised administrators of Lehman brothers in regard to potential claims against a local bank.
Advising Luxottica group in regard to the enforcement of certain securities under distress circumstances.
Acted for an empowerment company in initiating various proceedings to prevent minority abuse, culminating in the successful negotiation of a commercial contract.
Acted for Biscuit Laundry Radio Trawlers (BLRT) against Grand Parade Investments and succeeded in successfully setting aside resolutions passed at an AGM. This judgment has now been reported.
Acted successfully for Life Healthcare in an arbitration regarding a sale of one of its hospitals. Succeeded in upholding the sale and defeating the damages claim.
Accolades
Headed up Mallinicks' commercial litigation department and currently heads up Webber Wentzel's Cape Town commercial dispute resolution team.
