Shepstone & Wylie Attorneys are entering a season of change as they announce the appointment of three exceptional leaders, marking not only a new chapter for the firm but a significant achievement in the distinguished careers of each of these attorneys.
Sifiso Msomi has been appointed as Chairman of the Board, a role that reflects his deep legal expertise and decades of service. Sifiso brings exceptional knowledge and authority to this position. His leadership in property law, encompassing sectional title transactions, notarial bonds, leases, servitudes, and general conveyancing, has earned him wide respect in the legal community.
Beyond his professional practice, Sifiso has made notable contributions to national institutions and community organisations. He has served as a member of the Judicial Service Commission, the KwaZulu-Natal Planning and Development Appeals Tribunal, and held leadership roles within the Black Lawyers Association, the Durban Chamber of Commerce, and the Durban ICC. Deeply committed to transformation and community development, he currently serves as the chair of the Ithwelenye Development Initiative.
In addition, Sifiso is an internationally accredited mediator through the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), with a particular focus on property-related disputes. His combination of legal expertise, leadership, and dedication makes this a well-deserved appointment.
The firm also proudly welcomes Samantha Davidson and Anton Lockem as Joint Managing Partners.
Samantha’s expertise in pension law, together with her work on high-level committees and tribunals, has earned her wide respect as a thought leader in her field. Over the course of more than two decades, she has advised on major pension issues and represented both employers and funds in complex legal proceedings, gaining a reputation for her depth of knowledge and practical insight.
Samantha started her career serving articles at Shepstone & Wylie and has remained with the firm ever since, embodying the firm’s commitment to being a trusted adviser to its clients. Samantha currently serves as an independent trustee of a large hybrid pension fund and as principal officer for several retirement funds. Her experience in fund management, good governance, and compliance in a rapidly changing regulatory environment stands her in good stead to lead Shepstone & Wylie Attorneys.
Anton joined Shepstone & Wylie in 2010. With over 20 years of experience, he has advised clients on all aspects of tax law, including tax disputes and litigation, domestic and international transactions, tax administration law, and exchange control, often working closely with various attorneys across the firm’s other departments.
During this time, Anton served on several related professional bodies, in addition to acting in an advisory capacity to non-profit organisations. He also serves as an external examiner for the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Tax Masters Programme.
Anton has a passion for people and their development, as is evident in the ethos of the tax team. He values teamwork as the cornerstone of lasting personal and collective success.
These appointments underscore the firm’s depth of expertise, commitment, and vision, and reflect its ongoing dedication to excellence and transformation in the legal profession. Together, the new leaders bring decades of experience across diverse fields of law, and their appointments reaffirm Shepstone & Wylie’s position as a trusted and forward-looking firm, ready to navigate the challenges of an evolving legal landscape.