Tim Fletcher
Tim Fletcher is the Chairperson of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, and Director in our Dispute Resolution practice. He has been involved in commercial dispute resolution for many years including High Court litigation and private arbitration - both domestic and international. He has successfully resolved disputes concerning general commercial and contractual issues, administrative law issues including tender reviews as well as education, insurance, gambling, information technology, product liability and real estate issues. Tim is also an expert on education regulatory matters.

About Tim
About Tim
Tim is a presently Chairperson of the firm and Director in the Dispute Resolution practice.
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- BA LLB LLM, University of the Witwatersrand
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (non-practising)
- Year of admission as an attorney: 1991
- Year of admission as a notary public: 1995
- Year of admission as a solicitor: 2009
Memberships
- Law Society of England & Wales
About Tim
Tim is a presently Chairperson of the firm and Director in the Dispute Resolution practice.
Credentials
Education
- BA LLB LLM, University of the Witwatersrand
- Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (non-practising)
- Year of admission as an attorney: 1991
- Year of admission as a notary public: 1995
- Year of admission as a solicitor: 2009
Memberships
- Law Society of England & Wales
Experience
Commercial disputes
Managing complex commercial disputes before the High Court and in domestic and international arbitrations
Complex regulatory issues.
Regularly involved in negotiations with the Department of Higher Education on behalf of leading private higher education service providers about complex regulatory issues.
General commercial issues
Assists a major international retail group with general commercial issues including perfection of securities, retail and real estate disputes.
Indemnity claims
Represents insurance brokerages and underwriters in indemnity claims.
High level investigations
Has conducted high level investigations for major corporations
Administrative action
Involved in numerous reviews of administrative action involving state tender awards
Matters before Equality and Constitutional Court
Engaged from time to time in matters before the Equality Court and the Constitutional Court.
Gambling legislation
Often Involved in appeals and reviews in the context of gambling legislation.
Pro Bono and Human Rights
Assists our Pro Bono and Human Rights Department with litigious matters.
News

Law and disorder: Sense check on litigation
Voltaire famously said that “ Common sense is not so common ” and there are some court stories that support that. Like the infamous McDonald’s coffee matter in 1994 where Stella Liebeck,...

Arbitration: Careful drafting applies as much to the arbitration agreement as to the pleadings
An agreement to arbitrate a specific issue will generally describe both the issue the arbitrator is required to decide and the arbitrator’s powers. The arbitrator has no power beyond...

The Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist for Africa
Congratulations to our Dispute Resolution Lawyers that have been included in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist for Africa.

Factual disputes in review proceedings? Trial or application
A leadership dispute in the Babirwa BaGa Mamadi traditional community ended up in court recently when the Premier of Limpopo Province appointed Aborekwe Thomas Mamadi as the community’s...

Prescription: Fairness trumps legal certainty
Prescription of debts is generally absolute in its impact, and can be said to have a “ guillotine effect ” as a claim for a debt is unenforceable once it has prescribed. The rationale...

What Directors expect from their juniors
Chairperson, Tim Fletcher and CDH Partner Njeri Wagacha speak to Graduate Programme Manager, Boipelo Mathodlana.

Njeri Wagacha provides a summary of the year's recordings
Every month CDH Kenya Partner Njeri Wagacha publishes a podcast 'Njeri Talks Law'. In this final podcast for 2022, Njeri extends her gratitude to her listeners for accompanying her...

Njeri Wagacha talks to Tim Fletcher
Every month CDH Kenya Partner, Njeri Wagacha, publishes the podcast 'Njeri Talks Law'.
Recognition
2015-2023
Chambers Global
- Chambers Global 2022 - 2023 ranked Tim in Band 2 for Dispute Resolution. From 2019-2021 he was ranked in Band 3. Between 2015 - 2018 Tim was ranked in Band 4 for Dispute Resolution.
2016-2023
Legal 500 EMEA
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2016-2023 listed Tim as a 'leading individual' for dispute resolution and recommended him in 2013–2016.
2023
Legal 500 EMEA
- Tim was listed in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist: Africa 2023.
2017-2018
ILO Client Choice Awards
- Tim was the exclusive South African winner of the ILO Client Choice Awards 2017 and 2018 in the litigation category.
2015
Who’s Who of Business Lawyers
- The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2015 identified Tim as being among the world’s leading asset recovery lawyers.
2013-2019
Expert Guides
- Expert Guides: Insurance and Reinsurance has listed Tim as one of the top legal practitioners advising on insurance and reinsurance from 2013 - 2019.
2015-2019
Who’s Who Legal
- Who’s Who Legal 2015–2019 identified Tim as one of the world’s leading Insurance & Reinsurance lawyers

Chambers Global
- Chambers Global 2022 - 2023 ranked Tim in Band 2 for Dispute Resolution. From 2019-2021 he was ranked in Band 3. Between 2015 - 2018 Tim was ranked in Band 4 for Dispute Resolution.
Legal 500 EMEA
- The Legal 500 EMEA 2016-2023 listed Tim as a 'leading individual' for dispute resolution and recommended him in 2013–2016.
Legal 500 EMEA
- Tim was listed in the Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist: Africa 2023.
ILO Client Choice Awards
- Tim was the exclusive South African winner of the ILO Client Choice Awards 2017 and 2018 in the litigation category.
Who’s Who of Business Lawyers
- The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers 2015 identified Tim as being among the world’s leading asset recovery lawyers.
Expert Guides
- Expert Guides: Insurance and Reinsurance has listed Tim as one of the top legal practitioners advising on insurance and reinsurance from 2013 - 2019.
Who’s Who Legal
- Who’s Who Legal 2015–2019 identified Tim as one of the world’s leading Insurance & Reinsurance lawyers
Expertise

Dispute Resolution
Our lawyers work together with clients to find business-oriented dispute resolution solutions.

Corporate & White Collar Investigations
CDH’s Corporate & White Collar Investigations team can help clients navigate local and international corporate risk management requirements.

Education & Training
We support education and training clients on acquisition, financing, governance and organisational matters.

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals
Our multidisciplinary team develops creative strategies and integrated solutions for this important healthcare sector.

Government and State-Owned Entities
We provide a comprehensive service that can be applied to all aspects of public law.

Insurance Law
Our lawyers combine detailed knowledge of the law with a commercial awareness of the industry.

International Arbitration
We guide our clients through the complexities of international arbitration.

Pensions & Employee Benefits
Our Pensions & Employee Benefits team works with skilled lawyers from across the firm to provide expert advice and solutions.

Public Law
We have experience across key areas of public law and understand the relevant legal and policy frameworks.

Industrials, Manufacturing & Trade
We provide a multidisciplinary approach to legal and commercial matters across Africa.

Technology & Communications
Our team offers advice on a wide range of functions and sector-related issues.