Firm spends R1.7m on gifts, ads
2008-06-17 20:16
Johannesburg - Prominent Durban legal firm Meuman White spent R1.7m on gifts, advertising, sponsorships and entertainment, but denies they were touts.
This statement was made in response to the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society's application for the partners to be struck from the roll of attorneys and conveyancers.
A case, which starts on Wednesday in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, is set down for three days and is regarded as a test case, vital to all conveyancers, estate agents and the property industry.
Bruce Mcdonald Forrest, managing partner of the practice which has five branches in the greater Durban area, says that the firm was relatively small, had five partners and attended to only 3% of property transfers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Other firms, he said, spent money on similar projects.
Some of the company's expenditures included various advertising costs, adding up to over R1m, as well as sponsorships of over R200 000, and entertainment such as meals to the value of R52 062.
The entertainment of estate agents cost the company R80 859.
The company spent over R82 000 on staff gifts and a motivational seminar as well as over R16 000 on gifts to court staff, deeds staff, estate agents and clients.
Forrest said: "The vast majority of Meuman White's marketing expenditure is entirely unobjectionable."
- SAPA