Michael Straeuli

Michael Straeuli is a Partner and senior commercial litigator and dispute resolution specialist with extensive experience in high‑value, complex, and often multi‑jurisdictional matters in South Africa. He specialises in corporate and commercial litigation, arbitration, regulatory and administrative proceedings, urgent interdict applications, fraud and asset recovery, shareholder disputes, and post‑transactional claims.

His experience includes high‑stakes corporate and M&A‑related disputes involving breaches of warranties, conditions precedent, and contractual interpretations arising from share and asset sale transactions. He advises on mining and natural resources litigation, including disputes involving mining asset disposals, prospecting rights valuations, shareholder dilution, director conflicts, and related transactional matters. He also advises on financial services and banking disputes, including matters involving fraud, money laundering, debt enforcement, and recovery of misappropriated funds, often involving urgent freezing orders and regulatory investigations. He has appeared before the Financial Services Tribunal and has experience in auditor liability defence in multi‑jurisdictional class actions and related regulatory proceedings. He regularly acts in matters involving claims worth hundreds of millions to billions of rand, often with cross‑border elements and involving listed companies, regulatory bodies, and sophisticated fraud or misconduct allegations.

Michael holds an LLB from the University of KwaZulu‑Natal (2008) and is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. He has been named by Best Lawyers (2021‑2026) as a leading individual.