Gillan & Veldhuizen Inc

01/06/2026

Choosing a lawyer is not unlike choosing a surgeon, architect or business partner. The consequences tend to arrive later.

An older GVInc blog doing the rounds again recently - 'A lawyer can make or break your case: choose wisely!" - still feels remarkably current.

In an era of AI-generated legal templates, quick online advice and increasingly transactional relationships, the reminder is simple: good legal advice is not just about technical knowledge. It is about judgment, preparation, strategy and honesty.

A good lawyer should:
▪️ manage expectations realistically
▪️ understand the commercial impact of a dispute
▪️ know when to fight - and when not to
▪️ prepare thoroughly
▪️ communicate clearly about cost, timing and risk

As the article notes, the wrong approach can drag matters out unnecessarily, inflate costs and ultimately weaken a client’s position.

Because sometimes the most valuable legal advice is not “you can win”.
It is “here’s the smartest way forward”.

🔗 Read the article here:
https://gvinc.co.za/a-lawyer-can-make-or-break-your-case-choose-wisely/

Choosing the right lawyer is critical to the success of any legal matter. It can be the difference between settling, winning or losing a case, and let's face it, nobody wants to be on the losing end.

25/05/2026

AI is changing the legal world fast - from contract drafting to legal research and workflow automation.

But while AI is powerful, it still cannot replace judgment, context or human insight.
In his latest opinion piece, PJ Veldhuizen explores where AI fits into modern legal practice - and where it doesn’t.

📖 Read more:
https://gvinc.co.za/ai-in-law-a-powerful-tool-but-it-cant-read-the-room/

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making waves across industries, and the legal field is no exception. From research assistance to contract drafting, AI has transformed the way legal professionals work. But let’s get one thing straight: AI is a tool, not a lawyer. It can assist, enhance and even acc...

22/05/2026

Airbnb in sectional title schemes? It’s becoming less about hospitality and more about compliance.

Kayley Leverton’s recent BusinessBrief article unpacks the growing legal tension around short-term rentals, conduct rules, zoning and owner rights.

Before listing your property, make sure you understand the rules governing your scheme.

📖 Read more:
https://www.bbrief.co.za/2026/05/15/airbnb-and-sectional-title-schemes-check-in-or-checkmate/

Airbnb and sectional title schemes face rising legal, tax and compliance pressure in South Africa’s property market.

20/05/2026

Winning a case and losing years of time, money and business relationships? That’s not always a win.

In his latest opinion piece, PJ Veldhuizen explores the growing need for smarter, commercially sensible dispute resolution in business.

Too often, disputes become driven by emotion rather than economics. Litigation has its place - but not every disagreement needs to become a drawn-out court battle draining cash flow, management time and working relationships.

Sometimes the better outcome lies in:
▪️ Early legal intervention
▪️ Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
▪️ Narrowing the real issues quickly
▪️ Finding commercially workable solutions before positions harden

Because in business, the goal should not always be to “win” at all costs - it should be to resolve disputes in a way that protects the bigger picture.

Read the full opinion piece here:
https://gvinc.co.za/winning-isnt-always-winning-rethinking-how-businesses-resolve-disputes/

In business, forward motion is often the real victory. When disputes arise, the smartest strategy is not always to fight harder - but to choose the forum (or battlefield) that makes the most commercial sense.

17/05/2026

Happy birthday, PJ!

Wishing you a very happy birthday today. Thank you for your leadership and steady commitment to the GVInc team and clients.

14/05/2026

Tomorrow is International Day of Families. A timely reminder that good estate planning is not only about assets - it is about clarity, care and reducing conflict for those left behind.

PJ Veldhuizen: “The hardest disputes are often not about money. They are about expectation, silence and surprise.”

Clarity now can prevent conflict later.

12/05/2026

Congratulations to PJ Veldhuizen on his appointment as Chairperson of the Western Cape Society of Mediators.

This appointment reflects PJ’s long-standing commitment to commercial mediation, alternative dispute resolution and the advancement of practical, commercially sensible outcomes in the legal profession.

The Western Cape Society of Mediators was established to promote and advance mediation in the Western Cape - an area of law and dispute resolution that continues to gain momentum both locally and internationally.

PJ brings to the role more than two decades of experience in commercial law, litigation and mediation, together with extensive accreditation and advisory experience in dispute resolution structures both locally and abroad.

As businesses increasingly look for faster, more effective and less adversarial ways to resolve disputes, mediation continues to prove itself not simply as an “alternative”, but often as the smarter first step.

Congratulations, PJ - we know the Society is in very capable hands.

11/05/2026

Mother’s Day may be over. The legacy conversation shouldn’t be.

Families are complicated. Blended families, second marriages, business interests, trusts, offshore assets, minor children - they all change what “fair” means.

A standard will may not be enough where family dynamics and asset structures are anything but standard.

As we’ve written before: equal is not always fair. Clear is better.

Use May to review:
▪ your will
▪ your executor appointment
▪ guardianship provisions
▪ trust structures
▪ beneficiary nominations
▪ business succession plans

From business succession and trust structures to wills and tax planning, GV Inc. offers strategic estate solutions designed to protect value, reduce risk and ensure continuity for your company and your family.

08/05/2026

Thinking about a future in law?

Join the PH Group Virtual Open Week 2026 from 11 – 15 May and connect with legal professionals, learn more about the industry and explore opportunities within the PH Group network.

📅 11 – 15 May 2026
🌐 Register now: PH Group Open Week Registration
https://www.phfirms.co.za/Home.aspx

07/05/2026

Congratulations to Katherine Timoney on completing her certification on Estate Planning and Wills through UCT Law@work: Professional Development Project.

In a landscape where personal, family and business interests often intersect, this kind of specialised focus adds real value - not just in theory, but in the advice clients rely on when it matters most.

Well done, Katherine.