Adv Bertus Bergenthuin SC
Johannes Bergenthuin SC is a senior advocate of the High Court of South Africa and a long-standing member of the Pretoria Bar, with extensive experience in civil litigation, commercial law, and arbitration.
He obtained his BA (Law) in 1977 and LLB in 1979 from the University of Pretoria, followed by a BA (Hons) in Latin in 1981. In 1985 he completed his LLD at the University of Pretoria, with a doctoral thesis titled Provocation as Defence in South African Criminal Law. As part of his doctoral research, he conducted research at the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law in Freiburg, West Germany, between November 1984 and February 1985.
Johannes began his academic career in 1982 as a Lecturer in Criminal Law at UNISA, and from 1983 to 1986 served as Senior Lecturer and later Associate Professor in the Department of Private Law at the University of Pretoria. During this time, he lectured in Law of Contract, International Private Law, and Competition Law.
He was admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa on 1 April 1980 and joined the Pretoria Bar following pupillage in 1986. He has been a member of the Pretoria Bar since January 1987. Throughout his career at the Bar, Johannes has played an active role in the profession, serving on the Library Committee from 1987 to 1994 and on the Disciplinary Committee since 1995. He has also lectured Civil Trials to pupil advocates since 1995.
In recognition of his expertise and standing in the profession, Senior Counsel status was conferred on him on 7 May 2002.
Johannes has extensive experience in court litigation, having appeared as counsel in a wide range of civil matters and having served as an acting judge in the Republic of South Africa.
His areas of specialisation include:
Law of Contract and Commercial Law
Law of Delict
Administrative and Constitutional Law
Company Law
Insolvency Law
Law of Trusts
Banking Law and the National Credit Act
Property Law, including ownership and servitudes
Law of Succession
In addition to litigation, Johannes has significant experience in commercial matters, advising clients and drafting commercial documentation as counsel. He has also acted as counsel and arbitrator in commercial disputes.
With decades of combined academic and practical legal experience, Johannes brings deep legal insight, analytical strength, and a distinguished record of advocacy to complex legal and commercial matters.
