New partner adds muscle at Shepstone & Wylie

The Shepstone & Wylie international trade team has just gained muscle, with customs and excise law and international trade remedy specialist, Freek van Rooyen, joining as a new partner. Van Rooyen was with Bell Dewar and then in-house at Sasol for a number of years, and latterly with Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, until he was convinced to join Shepstone & Wylie to boost its Jo’burg office. He received his qualification as Bluris at the University of Port Elizabeth, his LLB at Unisa and his HDip (import and export law) at the University of the North West. Van Rooyen can advise clients at all levels of the supply chain – importers, exporters, clearing agents and manufacturers. He can also deal with all customs and excise issues – including tariff applications, transaction value applications and disputes, and preparing detailed submissions to the SA Revenue Service. He has extensive experience advising in the chemical, motor components, electronic, liquor and petroleum industries. “A very important factor in my move was that I would be joining an established national customs team,” Van Rooyen told FTW. “Being in a team and part of a legal firm you can render a one-stop service for a client. We have very experienced consultants forming part of the team that can focus on operational compliance issues. Alongside this we have experienced lawyers who are very familiar with the Customs and Excise Act and can assist a client with any such dispute.” Looking into the near future, Van Rooyen sees Shepstone & Wylie steering an expansion course. “In my role as a senior member of the customs team, we are going to expand our footprint in the Gauteng and Cape Town areas,” he said, “a move designed to render a very good service at a very competitive rate in the industry.”