Established 1 October 2019, FDP Law is a full-service law firm under the directorship of Francois Pienaar, a highly
accomplished and experienced commercial and litigation attorney (previously of Ward, Ward & Pienaar Attorneys). We pride
ourselves in our high-quality service and quick turn-around times to ensure that your matters are resolved efficiently
and successfully.
Francois Pienaar
[B.Comm, LLB]
Director
Shayni Pappin
[LLB, LLM]
Director
Larah-Lané van der Westhuizen
[B.Comm, LLB]
Candidate Attorney
Francois Pienaar
Director
B.Comm, LLB
Francois Pienaar is the director and shareholder of FDP Law.
Having graduated with his B.Comm, LLB from the University of Stellenbosch, he commenced his articles in 1991 with Tinus Slabber and Associates. He became a salaried partner in the firm and then in 1996, together with Tinus Slabber, he joined Webber Wentzel Bowens Attorneys. In 2001 he joined Delport & Ward Attorneys as a partner and shortly thereafter the firm Ward, Ward & Pienaar was established.
After nearly 30 years in the game, Francois decided to start his own firm and hence FDP Law came into being in October 2019.
Practice Areas: Civil law, with specific expertise in commercial work (including contractual drafting), trusts, commercial litigation, insolvency, property, wills and estates, intellectual property and family law (particularly divorce).
Outside of the office, Francois enjoys reading fiction and rock and surf angling (sometimes simultaneously).
Shayni graduated with her LLB from the University of Cape Town in 2015 and went on to do her LLM in Commercial Law at UCT in 2016, with a semester exchange at Queens University in Canada.
Following completion of her articles at Shepstone & Wylie Attorneys in 2018, Shayni started at Ward Ward & Pienaar Attorneys as an Associate, then joined Francois Pienaar at FDP Law since its inception in October 2019 and became a director in March 2023.
Practice Areas: Commercial litigation, general High Court and Magistrates Court litigation, Customs and International Trade, Company law, Insolvency and Labour law.
In her spare time, Shayni enjoys running and musical theatre and can often be seen acting, singing and dancing in community theatre productions around Cape Town.
Larah graduated from Stellenbosch University with her BComm Law degree in 2021, she then obtained her LLB degree in 2023 after which she started her Candidate Attorney journey at FDP Law at the beginning of 2024.
Larah-Lané is her full name, but at the office we all call her Larah.
She has a particular passion for Family Law and aims to gain experience in High Court and Magistrates Court litigation, as well as all the other practice areas that FDP Law has to offer.
When Larah is not at the office, you will find her playing some sort of sport or cuddled up with her cat watching reality television.
