Hilton Epstein SC
Called to bar 1982
Hilton Epstein SC began his career at the Johannesburg Bar in 1982. Prior to that he practised as an attorney for 5 years. The status of senior counsel was conferred on him in 1995.
He has been appointed to act as a Judge of the High Court on several occasions since 1995.
Hilton Epstein has been the leader of Maisels Chambers 3 since its formation in 1997.
Hilton Epstein’s work covers a broad spectrum of law: commercial matters (essentially arising from contractual and delictual claims), administrative law and judicial review, including matters relating to tender awards. He has extensive experience in medical schemes matters and frequently appears in tribunals relating to the regulation of medical schemes. He has practised widely in matters concerning the regulation of agricultural products, particularly the meat industry.
He also has experience in Environmental law and Construction law.
He appeared for the Applicants in one of the early cases in the Constitutional Court where he was lead counsel in the application to set aside the prohibition on the possession of indecent or obscene photographic matter in terms of section 2 (1) of the Indecent or Obscene Photographic Matter Act 37 of 1967. The question was whether the provisions of section 2 (1) of the Act were inconsistent with the provisions of chapter 3 of the 1993 interim Constitution, in particular the provisions of equality, the right to privacy, the right to freedom of conscious, freedom of speech, expression and artistic creativity, administrative justice and the permissible limitations of the fundamental rights entrenched.[Footnote: Case & Another v Minister of South and Security & Others 1996 (3) SA 617 (CC)]
Arbitrations
- Founding director of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa.
- Often appointed as an Arbitrator in commercial disputes.
- Appointed as Arbitrator by SASCOC (South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee) in matters relating to disputes between administrators and relating to drug use in boxing.
- Appointed as an Arbitrator in terms of the Rules of the South African Football Association.
Contribution as a member of the Johannesburg Bar
- Appointed by the Minister of Justice as the General Council of the Bar representative of the Legal Aid Board (1995-1998).
- Chairman of the Rules Board for Courts of Law Committee of the General Council of the Bar (1999).
- Served as a member of the Johannesburg Bar Council for 15 years.
- Served on a number of occasions as Chairman of the Fees Sub-committee and Professional Sub-Committee.
- Chairman of the Johannesburg Bar Council on two occasions (2002–2003; 2008-2009).
- Member of Advocates for Transformation since its formation
Examples of some cases in which he has appeared over the years are:
- General Council of the Bar of South Africa v Geach and Others 2013 (2) SA 52 (SCA) (suspension and striking off of advocates from the roll)
- President of the Republic of South Africa and Pthers v Quagliani, and Two Similar Cases 2009 (2) SA 466 (CC) (enforcement of extradition agreement – validity)
- Abakor Ltd v Crafcor Farming (Pty) Ltd t/a Riversdale Feedlot and Another 2000 (1) SA 973 (N) (Trade and Competition – Injurious Falsehood)
- Case and Another v Minister of Safety and Security and Others; Curtis v Minister of Safety and Security and Others 1996 (3) SA 617 (CC) (criminal Law – Obscene photographic material – constitutionality of prohibition)
- Culverwell and Another v Brown 1990 (1) SA 7 (A) (contract - repudiation – test – measure of damages)
As Counsel
- ABSA Bank Ltd v Innovent Rental and Asset Management Solutions (Pty) Ltd (14073/2010) 2011 ZAGPJHC 209 (1 September 2011)
- Al Mawashi (Pty) Ltd and Another v National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; In re: National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v Al Mawashi (Pty) Ltd and Others (995/2020) [2020] ZAECGHC 74 (30 June 2020)
- Angus and Another v Kosviner and Another 1996 (3) SA 215 (W)
- Auction Alliance (Pty) Ltd and Another v Minister of Police and Others (8324/2014) [2014] ZAWCHC 180 (3 December 2014)
- Avfin Industrial Finance (Pty) Ltd v Interjet Maintenance (Pty) Ltd 1997 (1) SA 807 (T)
- Bam v Dorbyl Vehicle Trading & Finance Co (Pty) Ltd 1995 (2) SA 65 (TkA)
- Bertie Van Zyl (Pty) Ltd t/a ZZ2 and Others v Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Others (549/2020) [2021] ZASCA 101; [2021] 4 All SA 1 (SCA) (14 July 2021)
- Briscoe v Marais 1992 (2) SA 413 (W)
- Brookstein v Brookstein 2016 (5) SA 210 (SCA)
- Chrome Circuit Audiotronics (Pty) Ltd v Recoton European Holdings Inc 2000 (2) SA 188 (W)
- Congress of the People and Another v Shilowa and Others (6779/2011) [2012] ZAGPJHC 167 (22 August 2012)
- Cook v Morrison and Another (A5058/16) [2017] ZAGPJHC 330 (18 August 2017)
- Council for Medical Schemes and Others v Liberty Medical Scheme and Another (35254/2012) [2013] ZAGPPHC 542
- Culverwell and Another v Brown 1988 (2) SA 468 (C)
- Democratic Alliance v Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others [2016] 3 All SA 78 (GP)
- Democratic Alliance v Minister of International Relations and Co-operation and Others; Engels and Another v Minister of International Relations and Co-operation and Another (58755/17) [2018] ZAGPPHC 534; [2018] 4 All SA 131 (GP); 2018 (6) SA 109 (GP); 2018 (2) SACR 654 (GP) (30 July 2018)
- Dorbyl Vechicle Trading & Finance Co (Pty) Ltd v Bam 1997 JDR 0049 (TkH)
- Economic Freedom Fighters and Another v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Another (CCT201/19) [2020] ZACC 25; 2021 (2) BCLR 118 (CC); 2021 (2) SA 1 (CC); 2021 (1) SACR 387 (CC) (27 November 2020)
- Eppel v Discovery Medical Scheme and Others (09/29184) 2009 ZAGPJHC 54 (25 September 2009)
- Eskom Holdings Soc Limited v Econ Oil & Energy (Pty) Ltd and Others (21/3970) [2021] ZAGPJHC 70; [2021] 3 All SA 857 (GJ) (29 June 2021)
- Express Petroleum (Pty) Ltd v Ropax Investments 10 (Pty) Ltd and Others (2471/2020) [2021] ZAECGHC 68 (20 July 2021)
- Express Petroleum (Pty) Ltd v Ropax Investments 10 (Pty) Ltd and Others (2471/2020) [2020] ZAECGHC 139 (2 December 2020)
- Freedom Under Law (RF) NPC v National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others (89849/2015) [2017] ZAGPPHC 791; 2018 (1) SACR 436 (GP) (21 December 2017)
- Goodwin v The Director-General, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development 2008 JDR 0671 (T)
- Hoban v ABSA Bank Ltd t/a United Bank 1997 JDR 0365 (W)
- Indrieri v du Preez 1989 (2) SA 721 (C)
- Kemp NO and others v Van Wyk and others 2004 2 All SA 286 (T)
- Levin v Levin 2011 JDR 0667 (SCA)
- Living Hands (Pty) Limited NO v Ditz 2012 JDR 2119 (GSJ)
- Magidiwana and Another v President of the Republic of SA and Others (40805/15) [2015] ZAGPPHC 637 (12 June 2015)
- Media 24 Limited v National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others, In re: S v Van Breda (5027/2017) [2017] ZAWCHC 35 (4 April 2017)
- Motuba v Medicover Medical Scheme (Liberty Medical Scheme-Successor in Title) 2011 JDR 1733 (GNP)
- National Consumer Commission v Univision Services Association NPC and Others (618/2017) [2018] ZASCA 44 (28 March 2018)
- National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v Al Mawashi (Pty) Ltd and Others (995/2020) [2020] ZAECGHC 118 (15 October 2020)
- Ndude v Congress of the People and Others (157431/2012) [2012] ZAWCHC 379 (5 December 2012)
- Off-Beat Holiday Club and Another v Sanbonani Holiday Spa Share Block Limited and Others 2016 (6) SA 181 (SCA)
- Off-Beat Holiday Club and Another v Sanbonani Holiday Spa Shareblock Limited and Others (CCT106/16) [2017] ZACC 15 (23 May 2017)
- Panday v National Director of Public Prosecutions (4477/2018P) [2020] ZAKZPHC 52; [2020] 4 All SA 544 (KZP); 2021 (1) SACR 18 (KZP) (16 September 2020)
- Polokwane City Football Club v South African Football Association and Others; TS Sporting Football Club v South African Football Association and Others (25191/2021; 26189/2021) [2021] ZAGPJHC 64 (15 June 2021)
- Pretoria Society of Advocates and Another v Geach and Others 2011 (6) SA 441 (GNP)
- Profmed Medical Scheme v Advocate B Madumise NO And Another 2005 JDR 0230 (T)
- Red Meat Industry Forum of South Africa and Others v Orion Cold Meat Storage (Pty) Ltd (22704/2011) [2011] ZAWCHC 460 (10 November 2011)
- Republic of Zimbabwe v Sheriff Wynberg North 2010 JDR 1418 (GSJ)
- Rice and Another v Society of Advocates of South Africa (Witwatersrand Division) 2004 (5) SA 537 (W)
- Road Accident Fund v Alexander Forbes Accident Compensation Technologies (Pty) Ltd Trading as A Fact 2007 JDR 0013 (W)
- Royal AM Football Club v National Soccer League and Others (21/27854) [2021] ZAGPJHC 423 (26 July 2021)
- Shaw v Profund Financial Services and another 1998 JOL 1921 (B)
- Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd v Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club (Pty) Ltd (3894/2018) [2019] ZAFSHC 173; 2020 (3) SA 298 (FB) (12 September 2019)
- Stanfield and Others v National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Abrahams N.O and Another (40248/18) [2019] ZAGPPHC 429; 2020 (1) SACR 232 (GP) (17 September 2019)
- Talacchi and Another v The Master and Others 1997 (1) SA 702 (T)
- Tiger Brands Limited and Others v Pillay and Others (Famous Brands and Another Intervening) (2019/25309; 2018/12835; 2019/36431) [2020] ZAGPJHC 160 (23 June 2020)
- Van Breda v Media 24 Limited and Others; National Director of Public Prosecutions v Media 24 Limited and Others (425/2017, 426/2017) [2017] ZASCA 97 (21 June 2017)
- Van Zyl (EDMS) Beperk (t/a ZZ2) and Others v Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and Others (45144/2017) [2020] ZAGPPHC 283 (24 June 2020)
Judgments
- Phasha v Minister of Police 2013 JDR 0009 (GSJ)
- Shabangu v Minister Of Home Affairs 2011 JDR 0430 (GSJ)
- Fey NO v Lala Govan Exporters (Pty) Ltd 2011 (6) SA 181 (W)
- The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd v Rockhill 2010 (5) SA 252 (GSJ)
- Nokotyana v The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality 2009 JDR 0403 (GSJ)
- EGL Eagle Global Logistics SA (Pty) Ltd v Lloyd & another 2007 JOL 19350 (W)
- Dick v Dick 2007 JDR 0067 (W)
- Sealed Africa (Pty) Ltd v Kelly and Another 2006 (3) SA 65 (W)
- SMM Holdings (PVT) Ltd v Southern Asbestos Sales (Pty) Ltd 2005 JDR 0715 (W)
- Mapheto v Minister of Safety & Security 2005 JOL 14901 (W)
- Tascoe Luc De Reuck v The Director of Public Prosecutions 2003 (3) SA 389 (W)
- De Reuck v The Director of Public Prosecutions (Witwatersrand Local Division) And Others 2003 (1) SACR 448 (W)
- Union Finance Holdings (Pty) Ltd v IS Mirk Office Machines II (Pty) Ltd and Another 2001 (4) SA 842 (W)
- ABSA Bank Ltd v The Farm Klippan 490 CC Eikenhof Plastics Bottling Co (Pty) Ltd and Others v BOE Bank Ltd 2000 (2) SA 211 (W)
- S v Murray 1999 JDR 0157 (W)1999 (1) SACR 554 (W)
- Water Engineering and Construction (Pty) Ltd v Lekoa Vaal Metropolitan Council 1999 JDR 0256 (W)
- Total South Africa (Pty) Ltd v Nedcor Bank Ltd 1997 JDR 0492 (W)
- Patmore v Patmore 1997 JDR 0496 (W) 1997 (4) SA 785 (W)
- South African Broadcasting Corporation v Corrective Action Holdings (Pty) Ltd t/a Mass Media Marketing 1999 (3) SA 601 (W)
- Marais v Bezuidenhout 1999 (3) SA 988 (W)
- Murray v S 1999 JOL 4571 (W)
- Patmore v Patmore 1997 (4) SA 785 (W)
- Nedbank Limited and Another v Absa Bank Limited (2011/4672) [2017] ZAGPJHC 139 (8 February 2017)
- Masindi v Chemical Industries National Provident Fund and Others (16/24267) [2016] ZAGPJHC 360 (13 December 2016)
- Signal Hill Properties (Pty) Ltd v 3PE Scratch Repair (Pty) Ltd and Another (16/11689) [2016] ZAGPJHC 363 (9 December 2016)
Practice Areas
Administrative & Regulatory Law
Class Actions
Constitutional & Human Rights Law
Construction & Engineering Law
Contract Law
Corporate & Commercial Law
Delictual Claims
Environmental Law
Insolvency & Business Rescue Law
Insurance Law
Mediation & Arbitration Law Alternative Dispute Resolution Law
Medical Schemes & Pension Fund Law
Motion Court Practice
Property Law
Public International & Immigration Law
Sports & Media Law
Urgent Applications
