Partner
LLB (UKZN)
Direct line: 031 536 8551 | Cell number: 082 830 9719
David is a Partner at Cox Yeats, practising in Insurance Law and Construction and Infrastructure Law, with a particular focus on the built environment.
He holds an LL.B, summa cum laude, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and joined the firm in 2013, becoming a Partner in 2014. Before joining Cox Yeats, David was employed at an international law firm headquartered in London.
David specialises in insurance litigation arising from construction-related matters, including public liability, professional indemnity, and complex construction claims such as third-party property damage, loss of support, structural collapses, fatalities on site, and Department of Labour inquiries. He also advises insurers and claims teams on policy interpretation and assists with representations to internal claims arbitrators and the Ombud.
In addition, he advises on the drafting and enforcement of construction contracts and has extensive experience negotiating and preparing agreements under JBCC, NEC, GCC, and FIDIC frameworks. He regularly assists contractors on large-scale projects involving complex claims for extensions of time and compensation.
David has significant experience in occupational health and safety within the built environment and has been involved in major collapse inquiries, including the Tongaat Mall, Grayston Drive bridge, and George incidents.
He has been recognised as a leading construction lawyer, having been named a top construction lawyer in South Africa by ILO Lexology and listed in Best Lawyers for several years.
Specialisation
- Dispute Resolution
- Energy & Natural Resources
- Competition Law
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Insurance Law
David’s Accolades
Best Lawyers:
- 2026, 2025, 2024 & 2023: Construction Law
Legal 500:
- 2025: Construction, Engineering, & Infrastructure