Innovative. Practical. Reliable.
It was established in 2022, formed out of a shared vision. We combined our extensive experience, knowledge and complementary specialised expertise to create a leading-edge offering for our clients.
Our clients seek legal advice that they can trust and understand. Our aim is to understand our clients’ business and commercial reality, and to provide clear and pragmatic advice.
Ben Strauss is a trusted tax and commercial advisor, known for providing simple and innovative solutions. Johan Green is a recognised specialist in listed and unlisted mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. Clara Hofmeyr specialises in corporate and commercial law and mergers and acquisitions. Between them, they have decades of experience in advising clients on complex matters relating to tax, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets and corporate finance transactions in the listed and unlisted environment across a broad range of sectors.
The Team
The Team
Ben Strauss
Email: ben@solarislaw.co.za
- BA with law subjects, Stellenbosch University
- LLB, Stellenbosch University
- Master of Laws (Taxation) (LLM), UNISA
- Post-graduate Diploma in Tax Law (with distinction), University of Cape Town
- Certificate in Advanced Corporate Law and Securities Law, UNISA
- Year of admission as an attorney: 1997
- Registered SAIT Chartered Tax Advisor
Ben Strauss has been advising local and international clients in a wide range of tax, commercial and property law matters for over 25 years. His expertise in tax and corporate transactions encompass structuring corporate transactions in relation to complex tax matters, structuring transactions, M&A transactions, and exchange control and property transactions. Ben is a registered tax practitioner, and an attorney, notary, and conveyancer. In his previous roles, Ben was General Legal Counsel at MWEB and Senior Tax Manager at KPMG. Before joining Johan and Clara to form Solaris Law, Ben was a director at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr for 16 years, and in 2021 ran his own practice, Ben Strauss Law. In 2023, Ben was recognised as “Lawyer of the Year” in the category Mergers and Acquisitions, Cape Town by Best Lawyers.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Corporate and Commercial Law
- Tax advice for corporates and individuals including income tax, capital gains tax, dividends tax, donations tax, value-added tax and securities transfer tax
- Public Benefit Organisations
- Cross-Border and International Taxation
- Corporate Restructuring
- Commercial Property
- Exchange Control
- Law of Trusts
Johan Green
- LLB, University of Pretoria
- Year of admission as an attorney: 2007
Johan Green has practised in corporate law for over 16 years and is a recognised specialist in listed and unlisted mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets transactions. During his career he has advised on substantial acquisitions, takeovers, disposals, public-to-private transactions, mergers, IPOs and corporate finance transactions. Johan started his articles in 2005 at a law firm in Pretoria, and was retained as an associate in 2007. In January 2008, he joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr (CDH), becoming a senior associate in 2009. He was promoted to director in 2011, and practiced as a director at CDH until he left CDH to start Solaris Law with Ben and Clara in 2022. In 2020, Legal 500 EMEA recommended Johan for his expertise in corporate and commercial law, and mergers and acquisitions. In 2018-2019, Johan was recommended as a rising star by IFRL 1000 and in 2020-2021 as a highly regarded lawyer for mergers and acquisitions & equity capital markets.
NOTABLE M&A TRANSACTIONS
Advisor for:
- Irongate Properties (previously Investec Australia Property Fund) on their takeover by Charter Hall partnership and delisting from the JSE
- Irongate Properties (previously Investec Australia Property Fund) on the acquisition of their management company, and ancillary assets, from Investec Bank
- Stellar Capital on their repurchase offer to shareholders by way of a scheme of arrangement, and delisting from the JSE
- A Tadvest led consortium on their takeover offer of Alaris Holdings by way of a scheme of arrangement and back-up offer, and their delisting from the JSE
- Shareholders of Ad Dynamo International on the disposal of 100% of their shareholding in Ad Dynamo to Aleph Holdings
- Invenfin on their investments in National Health Group, LifeQ, Bolt and Root
- Twisp (Pty) Ltd and its shareholders on the disposal of 100% of their shareholding in Twisp (Pty) Ltd to British American Tobacco plc
- Then-JSE listed Stellar Capital in its disposal of Amalgamated Electronic Corporation to the Carlyle group
- Then JSE-listed Torre Industries on the two-phased disposal of its Africa group to Phatisa; and on its acquisitions of SA French, Control Instruments Group, Manhand, Tractor & Grader Supplies, Elephant Lifting, the Set Point group and Khanu Equipment
- Then-JSE listed Stellar Capital on its strategic equity investment in Prescient Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSE Prescient Limited, through an equity subscription by Stellar Capital for shares in Prescient Holdings, a distribution to Prescient’s shareholders; and a scheme of arrangement
- Prescient Holdings on its BEE transaction with Sithega Holdings
- JSE listed PBT Group Holdings on its BEE transaction with the Pulsent group
- Homechoice International on its acquisition of PayJustNow
- MIH Internet Africa, a subsidiary of Naspers Limited, on various strategic equity investments, including an investment in Nigerian based online retailer Konga
- A consortium led by Lionhead Capital on its acquisition of The Courier Guy
- Holdsport on their takeover by Long4Life by way of a scheme of arrangement, and subsequent delisting from the JSE
- Holdsport Limited on its acquisitions of First Ascent and Second Skins
- JSE-listed Fortress Income Fund on its takeover and subsequent delisting of Lodestone Properties Limited
- JSE-listed Redefine International on its takeover and subsequent delisting of Pivotal Income Fund Limited
- Ascendis Health in its acquisitions of European based Remedica and Scitec International
- New Europe Property Investments plc (NEPI) in relation to the merger of NEPI and Rockcastle Global Real Estate Company Limited into a new entity, and the listing of such new entity on the JSE
- The establishment of Equites Property Fund Limited through the merger of three primary property portfolios, and the initial public offering and listing by Equites Property Fund Limited of its shares on the JSE during June 2014
- JSE-listed Stellar Capital on its takeover and subsequent delisting of JSE listed Amalgamated Electronic Corporation by way of a scheme of arrangement
- Texton Property Fund on a mandatory offer by a consortium of shareholders
- JSE-listed Dipula Income Fund on the internalisation of its asset management function
- Mediclinic International on its combination with Al Noor Hospitals plc by way of a reverse takeover of Mediclinic International, and the subsequent primary listing of the enlarged group on the London Stock Exchange, and by way of a secondary listing on the JSE;
- Arrowhead Properties Limited reverse takeover of Gemgrow Properties Limited.
- Distell Group Limited on the restructuring of its multi-tiered ownership structure, and the listing of new Distell on the JSE.
Advisor for:
- Irongate Properties (previously Investec Australia Property Fund) on their ASX listing
- Investec Property Fund Limited (JSE-listed REIT) on its accelerated bookbuild offering during February 2020
- Libstar Holdings on its JSE listing, and its initial public offering of shares in South Africa, certain jurisdictions outside South Africa in reliance on Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), and in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act
- Vivo Energy on its JSE secondary listing and initial public offering in South Africa
- Sea Harvest on its initial public offering and JSE listing
- Redefine International on its accelerated bookbuild offering during February 2016
- Mediclinic International on its 2012 and 2015 rights offers
- Initial public offering and listing by Sygnia Limited of its shares on the JSE
- Stor-Age Property REIT Limited on, its initial public offering and subsequent JSE listing
- Arrowhead Properties Limited, Ascension Properties Limited, Dipula Income Fund Limited and Rebosis Property Fund Limited on the conversion of their respective linked unit capital structures to ordinary share structures by way of schemes of arrangement
- Initial public offering and listing by Lodestone Properties Limited of its shares on the JSE
- Initial public offering and listing by Pivotal Fund Limited of its shares on the JSE
- Restructure of the HomeChoice group, and its subsequent listing on the JSE
- Equites Property Fund Limited on its initial public offering and listing of its shares on the JSE
- Ascendis Health Limited on the initial public offering and listing of its shares on the JSE
- Reverse listing of Prescient Limited through the acquisition by PBT Group Ltd of Prescient Holdings (Pty) Ltd and Prescient Capital (Pty) Ltd, and the subsequent reverse listing of these entities into PBT Group Ltd
- Initial public offering and listing by Ascension Properties Limited of its linked units on the JSE
- Holdsport Limited (issuer) and Ethos Private Equity and management (selling shareholders) in respect of the South African and international placement of shares of Holdsport and the subsequent listing of its entire issued share capital on the JSE
- Synergy Income Fund Ltd in its initial public offering and subsequent listing of its linked units on the JSE
- Vividend Income Fund Ltd in its initial public offering and subsequent listing of its linked units on the JSE
- Stor-Age Property REIT Limited on its accelerated bookbuild offering during 2018 and 2019
Clara Hofmeyr
- PG Dip specialising in Tax Laws, University of Cape Town
- LLB, University of Stellenbosch
- BA Honours (Psychology) (cum laude), University of Stellenbosch
- BA (Humanities) (cum laude), University of Stellenbosch
- Year of admission as an attorney: 2018
NOTABLE TRANSACTIONS
Member of a team advising or acting for:
- VALR on its USD 50m Series B Capital Raise (2022);
- Due diligence investigation in respect of a sports management agency (2022);
- Due diligence investigation on behalf of private equity fund in respect of a logistics technology platform (2022);
- Ethos Mid Market Fund I, and a consortium of investors, on the acquisition of 100% of Crossfin Technologies, including a due diligence investigation and the negotiation of the transaction and shareholding arrangements (2021);
- A major South African food retailer on a vendor due diligence investigation (2021);
- Honoris United Universities on its acquisition of Fedisa fashion school (2021);
- Invenfin (Pty) Ltd on its investment in Root (2021)
- Investec Australia Property Fund (now Irongate Property Group) on an acquisition that resulted in the internalisation of the management function of IAPF by creating an internally managed stapled group which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and the JSE (2020)
- Prescient Holdings (Pty) Ltd on a repurchase of circa 25% of its shares from Stellar Capital and the simultaneous acquisition of a stake in Prescient Holdings by a BEE vehicle and management (2019)
- Onelogix Group Ltd on its category 2 transaction with a special purpose vehicle forming part of Enigma Property Group for the sale and leaseback of logistics centres (2020)
- HomeChoice Limited on its acquisition of a majority stake in Pay Just Now (2020)
- Invenfin (Pty) Ltd on its acquisition of a stake in National HealthCare Group (2020)
- SA Corporate Real Estate Ltd on its joint venture transaction with Calgro M3 (2020)
- Pulsent OH GP (Pty) Ltd on its transaction with PBT Group Limited (2021)
- Mergence Investment Managers on its acquisition of shares in Brait from Titan (2019);
- Conducted multiple due diligence investigations into and facilitated the implementation of transactions relating to the disposal or acquisition of equity or project finance in numerous projects including:
- A renewable energy projects investment fund on a proposed investment in a number of wind farm projects, including a due diligence investigation and advising on the formation of a joint venture and the finance arrangements (2021);
- A South African private equity fund on a due diligence investigation in respect of a company offering solar energy solutions in Nigeria (2021)
Klara Cronje
Email: klarac@solarislaw.co.za
- BA Law, University of Stellenbosch
- LLB, University of Stellenbosch
- Year of admission as an attorney and notary: 2021
Klara Cronje is an attorney and notary public. Klara completed her articles at Lionel Murray Schwormstedt & Louw in Cape Town and was admitted as an attorney in 2021. Klara joined Solaris Law in 2022 as an associate in the Corporate and Commercial department.
Margot Basson
Email: margot@solarislaw.co.za
- BComm (Economics), University of Stellenbosch
- LLB, University of Stellenbosch
- Year of admission as an attorney and notary: 2023
Margot Basson is an attorney and notary public. Margot completed her articles at Boy Louw Inc in Paarl and was admitted as an attorney in 2023. Margot joined Solaris Law in 2023 as an associate in the Corporate and Commercial and Tax department.
We are a niche corporate and tax law firm. We are lean, agile, efficient. We are experts in what we do, and we provide focused, commercial solutions.
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