George Herbst
Director
Barnard’s Family Law team assists individuals and families in Pretoria, Gauteng and across South Africa with clear, practical legal support during divorce, maintenance disputes and other family matters.
As family law attorneys and divorce attorneys, the team advises on parental responsibilities and rights, care and contact, parenting plans, settlement agreements and related family disputes with an approach that is calm, discreet and focused on workable outcomes.
Related Core Services
Parenting Plans
Parenting plans, formalising arrangements, variation and enforcement
Customary Marriages
Registration, rights, dissolution, children and property in customary marriages
Family Mediation & Settlement
Mediation, settlement documentation, divorce settlement and co-parenting agreements
Domestic Violence & Protection Orders
Emergency protection orders, domestic abuse, safe exit and children at risk
Matrimonial Property
Accrual structuring, matrimonial property and divorce consequences
Maintenance
Claims, enforcement, variations and maintenance disputes
Child Rights
Care, contact, parenting plans, guardianship and enforcement
Divorce
Uncontested and contested divorce, settlement, assets and children
Ante-Nuptial Contracts
Matrimonial property arrangements, accrual structuring and asset protection before marriage
How We Work
(so you know what happens next)
- A confidential first consult — We understand what’s happening, what you need, and what outcome matters most.
- Clear options and recommended next step — You’ll see the routes available — and the trade-offs — in plain language.
- Resolution pathway — Where possible, we push for workable settlement. Where necessary, we litigate firmly and carefully.
- Follow-through and stability — We help put orders and agreements into place in a way that is enforceable and sustainable.
Confidential. No obligation. Clear next steps.
How we help
Family matters are personal, emotional, and often time-sensitive — but the decisions still need to be clear.
- Divorce and separation (contested and uncontested where possible)
- Parenting plans, care and contact arrangements
- Termination/acquisition of parental responsibilities and rights
- Maintenance claims, enforcement and variations
- Antenuptial contracts and matrimonial property structuring
- Domestic violence and urgent applications
- Mediation and negotiated settlements where appropriate
What you can expect
- Calm, clear advice — even when emotions run high
- A child-centred, practical approach
- Direct communication and sensible next steps
- Discretion and respect throughout
- Strategy that matches your timeline and risk
Case Studies
Trusted support when the stakes are personal
Family Law
Family trust registration for structured estate planning
Barnard drafted the trust deed and facilitated the registration of a family trust, helping establish a legally valid structure aligned with estate and succession planning and supported by a compliant governance framework.
