About Us

“Our solution-driven and innovative strategies strive to uphold Cranko Karp’s status as a preeminent South African law firm. Our partners, who are experts in their respective fields, apply their experience and expertise to each matter, upholding the firm’s highly successful track record.”

Cranko Karp and Associates Inc. was founded in Johannesburg in 1911. The practice is one of the oldest and most respected corporate and commercial law firms in South Africa. The firm is currently led by Senior Partner Michael Karp, who has been with the firm his entire career. Michael Karp, who was admitted as an attorney in 1976, continues to offer leadership and guidance to the firm’s esteemed clients. He is ably supported by the firm’s other partners and associates.

A BIT OF HISTORY

The name Cranko has been associated with the attorneys’ profession in South Africa for over 100 years.

Jimmy Cranko commenced practice for his own account in May 1911. When Jimmy Cranko retired from practice, the partners of the firm were Jack Eric Hyman, Jimmy’s brother Herbert Cranko and Jack Hyman’s brother Abe Hyman.

Jimmy Cranko was not only the attorney for OK Bazaars but was also one of its founding directors. He was the president of the Transvaal Law Society between 1935 and 1940. When Jimmy Cranko retired in 1951 most of the firm was absorbed into Werksmans.

David Edward Cranko, the son of Jimmy Cranko worked for Hayman Godfrey & Sanderson immediately after qualifying as an attorney. He then also worked for Denys Reitz & Effune and later joined Sydney Hoffman before commencing practicing for his own account.

David Edward Cranko also had numerous partners and the firm changed its name on numerous occasions to include the names of those partners. The firm today is known as Cranko Karp & Associates Incorporated.

Although the firm has always practiced Corporate Commercial Law, over the last 25 years, the firm has acquired a specialty in Mining Law and today represents many junior miners and many of the De Beers sightholders both locally and internationally.

The practice of Mining Law and in particular the legal work involved in the representation of the Diamond Manufacturing Industry has resulted in the firm developing its expertise in International Banking Law. The two areas of expertise go hand in hand.