Ross & Jacobsz

General information

Ross & Jacobsz was founded in 1892 by Andrew Roux. On the 18 th of January 1892 a notice appeared in the Government Gazette being notice no. 22 in terms of which Andrew Roux was admitted as a Conveyancer.

This notice was issued by Dr. WJ Luyts being the State Secretary of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek.

Not very much is known of Andrew Roux, but he entered into a partnership during 1893 with one Ballot, a Dutchman, and they practiced under the name Roux and Ballot.

At the start of the Anglo Boer War, Ballot left the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek for his home land. Andrew Roux continued to practice during this period.

Long before the Anglo Boer War, Louis Jacobsz was a well known figure. He was born in 1863 in the Orange Freestate and received his education at Gray College in Bloemfontein whereafter he left for London to continue his legal studies.

When Louis Jacobsz returned from London he was appointed as a Judge in the Orange Freestate by the then President Steyn. Because of the fact that Jacobsz had a problem in sentencing any person to death he resigned as Judge and moved to Pretoria where he married the grand daughter of the then President of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republiek, Paul Kruger. Jacobsz was appointed as Assistant State Attorney and served in this capacity with the future Prime Minister of South Africa, Jan Christiaan Smuts. With the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War Louis Jacobsz fought with the forces of the ZAR and was he also a Co-Signatory at the Peace of Vereeniging.

After the War Louis Jacobsz and Andrew Roux entered into a partnership and practiced under the name Roux & Jacobsz. With the family connection of Louis Jacobsz to the Kruger family, the firm rendered services to well known figures such as General Louis Botha, General JC Smuts, General JBM Hertzog and General Christiaan de Wet.

During 1910 Henry Duncan Ross was admitted as an Attorney and became a partner of Roux & Jacobsz in 1915. The son of Andrew Roux, Pierre Roux also became a partner of the firm Roux & Jacobsz and with the entry of Pierre Roux in the firm the client profile of Ross & Jacobsz was broadened with the inclusion of english speaking friends and clients.

During the 1930's the well known rugby player and rugby referee Carel Basson joined the firm as a partner.

During 1951 Pierre Roux resigned as a partner and was it decided by the partners to change the firms name to Ross & Jacobsz.

From its inception the firm was located at the Tudor Chambers as well as Ons Volksbank at Church Square and during the 1950's at the Old Volkskas Head Office. The firm moved back to Church Square in Pretoria and was located for 2 decades at the Saambou Nationale Building .

In 1983 the partners however took the bold decision to erect a office building for the firm in the centre of Pretoria and the R & J Building was constructed and occupied during 1984. Since 1984 the firm has practiced from the R & J Building , 421 Church Street , Arcadia , Pretoria .

During 2000 the partners took the further step to Incorporate Ross & Jacobsz as a company and is since then known as Ross & Jacobsz Incorporated.