Michael Hart is a litigation lawyer. He specialises in litigation and the insurance industry with particular emphasis on liability and, in particular, professional liability insurance, directors and officers liability, corporate governance, and construction and engineering.

Over the past 40 years he has acted as advisor to, and attorney for, auditors, engineers, architects, financial and insurance brokers and other professionals. He acts as advisor to the regulatory bodies in respect of many of these professions. He served as a member of the Ministerial Short Term Insurance Advisory Committee for a number of years and has acted as a Commissioner in a Government appointed Commission of Enquiry into regional low-cost housing. He has acted as lead or consulting partner on major litigation cases and infrastructural project disputes.

Michael has consistently been rated Tier One in dispute resolution and insurance in Chambers and other legal ratings and was named Best Lawyers’ 2010 South Africa Arbitration and Mediation Lawyer of the Year.

He holds a BA, LLB (WITS) and is a CEDR Accredited Mediator. He joined the Group in 1968 and was admitted as an attorney in February 1970. He was made a partner of the firm in 1971 and was appointed Chairman in 1999. He retired as Chairman in April 2011 but remains in practice as a director of the firm and Head of Litigation.