Leading South African firm, Cox Yeats is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Saunders as a Partner in the Business Rescue, Restructuring, Insolvency and Insurance (BRI) practice, effective 1 March 2026. Based in the firm’s Johannesburg office, Saunders joins the partnership as one of 30 partners guiding a national team of legal professionals in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.

“Congratulations to Steven on his appointment as a partner at Cox Yeats. We look forward to seeing him continue to excel and deliver value to our clients and our firm,” says Andrew Clark, Managing Partner at Cox Yeats.

Saunders previously served as a Senior Associate within the BRI team and is an active member of the South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA). His practice focuses on complex debt recoveries, business restructuring, business rescue and insolvency. He has represented a wide range of clients, including multinational corporations, international and local banks, business rescue practitioners, liquidators, creditors and listed companies.

Saunders’ experience includes advising on expedited debt‑recovery processes, business rescue strategies, liquidation proceedings and large-scale commercial disputes. His expertise spans commercial litigation, cross-border disputes, director and officer liability matters, informal and formal restructurings, forensic investigations, fraud matters, compliance and regulatory issues, and corporate recoveries.

“Steven has played an integral role within our BRI practice. His contribution to the Concor restructuring - shortlisted for the Business Rescue and Turnaround Transaction of the Year 2025 at the 2026 DealMakers Awards - exemplifies his technical strength and leadership. I wish him every success in his new role as partner,” says Gareth Cremen, Lead Partner of the Johannesburg BRI practice.

After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand with a BCom (Law) and LLB, Saunders was admitted as an attorney in 2022. He progressed through associate and senior associate roles, building strong experience in commercial litigation, restructuring and insolvency before joining Cox Yeats in February 2024. He also holds a short course in Tax Law from the University of Cape Town, further strengthening his technical grounding within the BRI practice.

“I am honoured to join the Cox Yeats partnership. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to our clients’ success and to the continued growth of our BRI practice,” Saunders says.

Cox Yeats remains committed to delivering commercially grounded, technically rigorous legal advice that helps clients navigate financial distress, restructuring, insolvency and insurance challenges. The firm continues to support businesses in achieving stability and long-term sustainability in complex operating environments.