Cluver Markotter proudly claims its origin from the merging of two firms, Paul & AH Cluver and Markotter Basson & Marais.

The Cluver-part of the firm dates back to October 1891, when Paul August Carl Dietrich Cluver was admitted as attorney and started to practice at 6 Bird Street, Stellenbosch, under the name of PD Cluver.

Paul Cluver was a prominent public figure and played a meaningful role in the Stellenbosch community. He served as Mayor of Stellenbosch from 1914 to 1921; and from 1927 to 1930 he served as member on the Provincial Board. The fact that he was held in high esteem on local management level was evident when he became the first person to be nominated as honorary lifelong member of the Municipal Association of the Cape.

In July 1916 his brothers, FA Cluver and AH Cluver, joined him as professional assistants. In 1932 he changed the name of the firm to Paul & AH Cluver, with PD and AH Cluver being appointed as associates. In October 1965 AH Cluver, after 62 years as a practising attorney, was granted Honorary Membership by the Law Society of the Cape of Good Hope.

In 1950 Ralph Paul Cluver, son of AH Cluver, joined his father's practise and remained as a partner, until his retirement in 1980.

The Markotter-part of the firm dates back to 1906, when August Friedrich Markotter, the legendary "Oubaas Mark" of rugby fame, moved to Stellenbosch and joined the firm Krige & Markotter as a partner.

The name of the firm was later changed to AF Markotter & Son. Well-known partners of this firm were CF Markotter (brother of AF Markotter); CLH Markotter (son of AF); and Abraham Barend de Villiers who joined the firm in 1945 but, after a few years, accepted an academic position at the Faculty of Law at the University of Stellenbosch (US) where he served as professor and dean of the faculty.

The next development in the Markotter-part of the firm was the 1970-merger of AF Markotter & Son with Hofmeyr & Basson, to bring about the establishment of Markotter, Basson & Marais. CLH Markotter retired, with JAA Basson and PG Marais remaining as partners.

On 1 May 1973, Paul & AH Cluver and Markotter Basson & Marais merged to form Cluver Markotter and the firm has since practiced under this name.