I am a member in good standing of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates, and have practiced continuously for 24 years.
My areas of practice include Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Contract, Company and Insolvency Law, Delict, and Administrative Law.
Commercial litigation and arbitration accounts for approximately 80% of my practice. I have acted in numerous trials, covering contractual disputes, company law litigation, banking law, insurance law matters, including professional negligence of attorneys, property law matters, and sectional title litigation. Commercial Law and Insurance Law are my specialist areas of practice.
Another area of practice in which I am involved is Delict. This area of practice consists of personal injury matters such as “slip and trip”, Road Accident Fund, Transnet litigation and recently medical negligence matters. These matters account for 20% of my practice.
I have been involved in reviews and domestic appeals relating to the breach by privilege holders (Trainers and Jockeys) of the rules of the National Horseracing Authority. I have also chaired the National Horseracing Authority’s Appeal Tribunal.
I am an accredited mediator with Conflict Dynamics and SAMLA.
I began my tertiary education in 1983 at the University of the Witwatersrand, reading for a Bachelor of Science degree. I majored in applied mathematics with the goal of becoming an educator. I went on to achieve a Higher Diploma in Education (Postgraduate) with majors in Mathematics and Physical Science in 1986.
I joined the Jockey Club of South Africa (now the National Horseracing Authority) as a Stipendiary Steward in 1991. In this position I presided over numerous quasi-judicial enquiries into breaches of the rules and the Constitution of the National Horseracing Authority. At that time the procedures of the Jockey Club were under high scrutiny following the analysis of two specimens of horses trained by Alan Forbes. Trainer Forbes appeared before a disciplinary tribunal and was found guilty of “doping” two horses. The Appellate Division in Forbes v the Jockey Club of South Africa decided this dispute in favour of Forbes and my love for the law was born. I was awarded a scholarship by the Jockey Club to study law and commenced reading for my LLB on a part time basis at the University of Johannesburg in 1994.
I was called to the Bar in 1998. I completed my pupillage under the guidance of Du Plessis SC and passed the Bar examination without an oral. I signed the book on the 4th of July 1998.
I attended the advanced advocacy appellate training course at Wallenberg in January 2020.
I am currently reading for my LLM in International Corporate Law through the University of Salford. I have completed the course work consisting of the following modules with an average of 70%: International Intellectual Property Law and Competition, Advanced Contract law and Negotiation, International law of the Sale of Goods and International Corporate Law and Governance. I have completed my residency and I am in the process of working on my proposal for my dissertation.
I recognise and acknowledge that transformation is a material criterion of leadership at the Bar. Transformation is essential to redress the wrongs of the past, and the policies introduced by the Bar Council must benefit those who were most prejudiced by apartheid. My actions (past and future), my mindset, and my understanding of the errors and policies of the past constantly informs my contribution to transform our society through my role as an advocate.
The report of the Chairperson of the Bridge Group tabled at the Annual General Meeting of the Bridge Group in December 2022 records that I was the leading contributor of ‘briefs’ to the Group’s junior fund in 2022.
I have served on the Executive Committee of the Bridge Group for the last five years. I head up the IT portfolio and I am a member of the finance and practice development committees.
My role in practice development is to assist members with continuous legal training by putting on seminars. In 2021, I started a series of webinars called ‘How Judges decide’. One of the webinars in this series, conducted by Deputy Judge President Sutherland, was very well attended and I received good feedback from various members at our Bar.
I was instrumental in the establishment of a secure witness facility in our current chambers and was involved in the planning of IT infrastructure for the move of the Bridge Group to Sandown Village, including the IP telephone system.
As the head of the IT Portfolio, I lead the development of the Bridge Group’s new website which went live in March this year.
I have also introduced the MS365 suite of applications to the members of the Bridge Group and have set up a group tenant to enhance the manner and efficiency of practice in our group. I hope to develop this tenant further which will include continually educating members regarding the benefits of collaborating on such a platform and intend to incorporate this into a members only section into the Group’s new website.
Cases:-
I appeared twice in the Supreme Court of Appeal in 2022, in the following matters: –
and
Reported Cases: –
Standard Bank of SA Ltd v El-Naddaf 1999 (4) SA 779 (W).
Marvanic Developments (Pty) Ltd and Another v Minister of Safety and Security and Others [2008] 2 All SA 676 (W).
Conekt Business Group (Pty) Ltd v Navigator Computer Consultants CC 2015 (4) SA 103 (GJ).
