The Bridge Group First Years

Tlotlego Tsagae, Ororiseng Leketi, Craig Thomas and Safura Abdool Karim joined the Bridge Group of Advocates earlier this year after successfully completing their pupillage with the Johannesburg Society of Advocates in 2022.

All four members bring a diverse and rich skill set to the Group in areas spanning property law, criminal law, competition law, and health law.  We share a bit more about our new members below.

Bridge Group of Advocates - Craig Thomas

  Craig Thomas is passionate about the law. As a young boy, he always wanted to study law. He participated in numerous national and international debating competitions. After matriculating, he started studying at Wits University. He obtained a BCom (Law and Management) and an LLB as well as a Certificate in International Trade Law. During his time at Wits, he was actively involved in the Model United Nations Society and represented Wits at the South African World Trade Moot Court.

Prior to joining the bar, Craig completed his articles of clerkship at a large Sandton law firm. He had rotations in the Dispute Resolution, Employment, Pro Bono and Human Rights, and Competition department before being retained as an associate in the Competition team. Later, Craig was promoted to a senior associate.

Craig has experience in a wide array of competition law work, including opposed and unopposed mergers, interim relief applications, complaint hearings, interventions in merger hearings, investigations by the Competition Commission, prosecutions by the Commission and appeals to the Competition Appeal Court. He also gained experience in other African jurisdictions and with the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.

Outside of work, Craig runs (mostly with a pram in tow!), is a keen sports fan and is an elder in his local church.

Tlotlego Tsagae has a varied and interesting background as part of the “born-free” generation of South Africans. They completed their LLB at Wits University in 2016.  Shortly thereafter, in 2017, they were admitted as an advocate. Their application was the subject of a groundbreaking judgment which offered those from disadvantaged backgrounds a pathway to admission.  

Prior to coming to the Bar, Tlotlego was employed by the Ombudsman for Short Term insurance.

In their own words, Tlotlego is excited to be joining the Bridge Group and starting to build their practice

“I am pleased to be a member of the JSA and a member of the Bridge Group of Advocates. The group is one of the longest standing groups at the bar, which is a true reflection of the sustainability of transformation. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the bar and the legal profession as a whole.”
Bridge Group of Advocates - Tlotlego Tsagae
Bridge Group of Advocates - Ororiseng Leketi

  Ororiseng Leketi, or Rori as he is known at the Bridge, has a rich background in litigation. He obtained his LLB from Unisa in 2018. Thereafter, Ororiseng undertook his articles at Phale Attorneys and Sedibe Attorneys. During this time, he gained significant experience in litigation across a variety of areas including constitutional law, contract law, delict and medical negligence as well as insolvency and labour law.

Ororiseng expanded his legal experience, undertaking pupillage at the Johannesburg Society of Advocates in 2022. Since then, he has drafted opinions and memorandums to various governmental departments. Ororiseng has also taken part in the drafting of various review applications for private clients and government institutions.

Ororiseng has a peculiar keen interest in Competition, Extraction Industries, Insurance, Intellectual and Corporeal Property Rights matters. Overall he is open to new experiences and meeting open-minded people.

Safura Abdool Karim is the final member of the Bridge’s first year cohort. She began her legal journey with an LLB at the University in Cape Town in 2013. Safura completed her articles at a commercial law firm in Sandton and was retained in the Insurance and Medical Negligence teams as an associate.

Safura then began to specialize in public health, completing an LLM in Global Health Law at Georgetown University and working at Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids and the O’Neill Institute. Safura has blended practical experience with academic rigour throughout her career. After finishing her Masters, she clerked for Justice Leona Theron at the Constitutional Court and then began working at the Wits School of Public Health on issues related to obesity prevention, national health insurance and COVID-19.  During this time, Safura also completed a certificate in Advanced Competition Law.

In 2022, Safura completed her PhD and pupillage at the Johannesburg Society of Advocates. In her practice, she continues to work at the intersection of public health and law with extensive experience in class actions, regulatory law and constitutional law. She is also developing a broader practice in areas such as labour law, environmental law and procurement. Safura feels the Bridge a wonderful home to grow her fledgling practice.

Bridge Group of Advocates - Safura Abdool Karim

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