Experience
Matthew van der Want is a distinguished legal practitioner with a career spanning more than 20 years and three jurisdictions. His career began with training at the Wits Law Clinic under Professors Philippa Kruger and Peter Jordi, moving into a senior associate role at Webber Wentzel, where he managed high-stakes corporate matters. His trajectory includes serving as a Director at Fasken Martineau Johannesburg, representing the Royal Bafokeng Nation in complex legislative matter, and partnership at Fairbridges Wertheim Becker.
As the founder of Van der Want Attorneys, he now bridges elite corporate experience with pioneering secure technology. By integrating Microsoft Enterprise Premium security with deep legal expertise, Matthew delivers sophisticated, efficient, and high-impact legal solutions.
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International Corporate Expertise
Matthew's international trajectory includes a significant 14‑month tenure at Hayes Solicitors in Dublin, Ireland. During this period, he focused exclusively on pure corporate law, navigating complex investment structures and high-value M&A transactions within the Irish legal framework. Currently, he continues to bridge legal jurisdictions through his role at Ogier in Dublin, providing a unique dual-perspective expertise that leverages both South African and European commercial law backgrounds.
Experience
Current Practice
van der Want Attorneys
Boutique, tech-savvy Johannesburg firm delivering corporate and commercial advice, commercial contracts and drafting as well as family and matrimonial law.
International Corporate Practice
Hayes Solicitors & Ogier, Dublin
Corporate law, M&A, cross‑border and complex corporate transactions, and investment work across Hayes Solicitors and Ogier in Dublin.
Founder
Van der Want Attorneys
Established in 2014 with the late great Claire Gaul as Gaul/van der Want Attorneys, van der Want attorneys provided corporate and commercial and family law services to a variety of clients including Glencore and Societe Generale for seven years between 2014 and 2020. It reopened in 2026 using pioneering secure AI-driven tools to assist in the provision of corporate and commercial law and matrimonial and family law matters
Partner
Fairbridges Wertheim Becker
Led major commercial litigation and corporate transactions at one of South Africa's oldest firms.
Director
Director
Fasken Martineau, Johannesburg
Led legal work on major mining acquisitions and infrastructure transactions, and represented Royal Bafokeng Nation in key legislative matters before South Africa’s Parliament.
Directed commercial strategies and provided senior legal counsel within a global legal framework.
Senior Associate
Webber Wentzel
Managed high-stakes corporate portfolios and commercial drafting for leading enterprise clients.
Candidate Attorney
Wits Law Clinic
Foundational legal training focusing on clinical law and primary legal assistance.