Willem van der Merwe
Co-Founder
Willem co-founded Lawyerly after twenty years of running and advising businesses, most of which were spent as a client of law firms rather than a member of one. He had seen how legal advice tends to arrive: late, priced by the hour, and detached from the commercial decision that prompted it. Lawyerly grew out of a conviction that it could be done differently.
He read law and marketing at university and later completed MIT Sloan's executive programme in artificial intelligence and business strategy. His career before Lawyerly took in two advertising agencies, which he led through the industry's move to digital, several years in digital publishing, and a period in international development, working on programmes across South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
At Lawyerly he is responsible for growth and for the client experience, ensuring our clients receive the legal support they need.
Qualifications
BA Law; AI Business Strategy (MIT); Nomadic Marketing (UCT)
Some of the businesses we value most were introduced by a client who already trusted us.
Willem van der Merwe
Co-Founder
The introductions we value most
Lawyerly works alongside the businesses we look after, not simply for them. We are here when something comes up, we care how each business grows, and we are grateful when a client trusts us enough to send another business our way.
So if you know an owner who would value what we do, and they are happy to hear from us, introduce us. We will look after them as we look after you, and when they join there is a free month in it for each of you, to say thank you.