Benita Ardenbaum Founder
NO ORDINARY FAMILY LAWYER
Benita is a senior attorney with over 27 years of experience in Family Law, Divorce Law, and Personal Law. She is a member of the Legal Practice Council and is admitted to appear in the High Court of South Africa. Benita has presented many workshops on family law and regularly attends International Family Law conferences around the world. Benita started her career as a prosecutor for the Department of Justice in Kwa-Zulu Natal where she gained extensive and valuable experience as a strategic litigator. Benita left the Department of Justice and started her own family law firm as she saw an opportunity to improve the way family law firms work with clients by providing an integrative and client-centered approach as opposed to a one-dimensional approach to family law.
In addition to her extensive experience in litigation Benita is also well known for her negotiation and mediation skills and has successfully resolved many acrimonious divorces and family law matters. Benita has an intricate understanding of human behaviour and is committed to assisting her clients to take charge of their lives and to empower them through an often traumatic process. Benita has a special interest in children and is a strong advocate for children’s rights. Benita has a large international practice and specialises in international divorce law, cross border child abduction, child relocation to other countries and reciprocal enforcement of maintenance for children and spouses, domestic violence and other areas of personal law.
"You Are One Decision Away From A Totally Different
Life Filled With Equality And Victory."
“Divorce is emotional let us guide you to a rational
settlement without irrational hostility!”
01
Empower
At Benita Ardenbaum Attorneys, our goal is to empower our clients financially, legally, and otherwise through cooperation, support, and the sharing of knowledge.
Empowerment is always on the horizon for those who seek it. Ultimately, participating in meaningful, truthful exchanges and pursuing passions can give you the fuel and community you need to live your fully empowered self.
02
Protect
Our Attorneys show both strength and empathy as we protect the future for our clients and their loved ones. Our priority is to safeguard our client’s interests by protecting what matters most to them.
True emotional freedom requires people to grow and evolve through the pain. Once they do, they can step more confidently into the next chapter of their life.
03
Justice
Coming to terms with divorce isn’t easy. It requires a lot of soul-searching and hard work.
It means turning inward and doing the tough work of processing your emotions—really feeling it all—the anger, the grief, the hurt, the depression,—and then letting go of those emotions. It means accepting that your marriage ended in whatever manner it did and finding meaning from the experience.
Who we are
A SPECIALIST FAMILY LAW FIRM
Central to the firm’s values and culture is to understand what is important to you, the client, and to create a tailor-made strategy to help you achieve an outcome that is favourable to you.
We understand that the legal process can often be stressful, daunting, confusing and over-whelming. In order to alleviate the stress of divorce or a family dispute, we work closely with our clients and approach each case with care, discretion, commitment and dedication. The core belief within our firm is that open communication with our clients is paramount and we seek to address each individual’s unique financial, emotional and legal needs by guiding and supporting them throughout the process.
No two clients are the same and there are those who prefer to avoid the stress and expense of litigation in court. We strive to assist our clients to reach favourable outcomes to conflict situations by means of alternative dispute-resolution methods such as mediation, negotiation and principles based on Collaborative Law. Where cases cannot be resolved amicably the firm is equipped to litigate in court to protect a client’s legal rights by means of the adoption of strategic and effective planning, preparation and execution.
communication is key
Client based service

Benita Ardenbaum Attorney are passionate about meeting their client’s needs and nurturing a genuine and transparent relationship with their client’s. Personal care of each and every one of our client’s is of paramount importance to us. The building
and nurturing of our client relationships is long lasting, even after the client’s mandate has ended.
Our team understands that our client’s want honest, sound and practical legal advice, based on our extensive knowledge of family law. We strive to ensure that we deliver an exceptional experience which will not only attract new clients, but whenever necessary, assist previous loyal client’s. In delivering professional services to our client’s they are entrusting us with their future which is the foundation of our success.
get to know each other
Each member of our team is committed to providing our client’s with exceptional advice aimed at achieving successful results. Our team has a combined background of impressive achievements and qualifications as well as a commitment to professional excellence and client services.
understanding your rights
Understanding your rights does not only include knowing your rights in a divorce action it transcends to unmarried fathers rights and their pursuit of parental rights, laws pertaining to international divorces, and the rights of parents of abduction children.
determining your goals
Our Attorneys are directly invested in determining our client’s goals. By having clear goals, it enables us to know precisely what our client’s want to achieve. Our aim is to then plan for what our client’s ideal outcome would be and to identify the essential elements required to fulfil our client’s desired end result.
"You Are One Decision Away From A Totally Different Life Filled With Equality And Victory."
“Divorce is emotional let us guide you to a rational
settlement without irrational hostility!”
Learn About
Our Attorneys
Benita Ardenbaum
Benita Ardenbaum
Benita has an established international practise. Benita is a member of the international Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). Benita has extensive experience in South African and International Divorces including complex financial divorces and divorces where there are disputes relating to children.
Jessica Gooding
Jessica Gooding
Jessica has a passion for family law and deals with all matters pertaining to: divorce, care and contact, parental rights and responsibilities, children’s rights and maintenance enquiries.
She is compassionate, driven and a persistent litigator who is sensitive to her client’s needs while dedicated to fervently advocating for their interests and providing practical legal solutions.
Kate Bailey - hill
Kate Bailey - Hill
Kate’s passion for family and children is a pinnacle strength which drives her to deliver appropriate legal solutions for her client’s. Kate’s expertise ranges from matters of divorce, maintenance, parental rights and responsibilities, domestic violence and care and contact. Having two children of her own, Kate’s caring and compassionate nature ensures that her focus is always on the best interests of the child.
Thandokazi Bangani
Thandokazi Bangani
Her biggest motivation and source of happiness is knowing that she has an opportunity to assist clients in bettering their lives while being surrounded by a team of ambitious women. Thandokazi prides herself in her ability to rise up to every occasion and task, whilst also looking after the best interest of the client.
Tess Williams
Tess williams
Tess soon realised after her admission that she had a passion for family and matrimonial law and was eager to specialise in that practice area.
Tess is driven by obtaining desired results for clients, particularly when it pertains to minor children, whilst alleviating their concerns by providing them with clarity and understanding. Tess joined our firm in September 2021 and her area of practice is divorce, maintenance, children’s rights, care and contact disputes and parental responsibilities and rights.
Micayla de Marigny
Micayla de Marigny
Micayla is passionate about family law and is grateful for the opportunity to be mentored by a team of empowered female attorneys.
Lesley - Anne King
Lesley - Anne King
Based on her ethics and views of life, together with her zest and determination, she is always wiling to take on new challenges. In her spare time, Lesley enjoys spending time with her family, reading and binging on her favourite series.
Vishali Mariemuthu
Vishali Mariemuthu
I believe experience is successfully defined by building lasting relationships in an environment that encourages growth and shared knowledge and I am therefore very excited to be part of the BA team whose ethos in their commitment to delivering professional excellence with a sincere approach resonates well with me.