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ROOTED
19th Edition
Welcome to the nineteenth edition of our newsletter Rooted!
We would like to start by extending our traditional big Lawtons Africa welcome to our new Lawtonites, Melanie Murcott, who will be providing support to all the Lawtons’ practice areas in her expertise with a particular emphasis on Environmental Law, and Sorien Jansen, who has joined Melissa Leibowitz’s team as the Conveyancing Secretary. We wish you all the best on your journey with us and trust that it will be a happy and fruitful one.
We would also like to welcome aboard all our new YES programme candidates, Busisiwe Mashele, Shale Maake, Liam Arendse, Tshiamo Letlape, Amogelang Mokwena, Bonolo Sentsho, Ntokozo Ntinezo and Elvis Silima. We wish you all well during your training with us.
Be sure to read the marketing section about the great initiatives, and the wins we’ve secured in the last three months.
Last but not least, we would like to extend a belated happy 60th birthday to our very own Special Counsel, Head of Corporate and former Member of the Management Board, Jeff Buckland.
You know what they say “60 is not so bad! It just means you have been a perfect ten six times in a row.”
Work Won
We are happy to announce that we have had a good flow of bids and RFQs coming in these last three months and have bagged a few, including:
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Takealot
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PIC
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GPF
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RTMC – 4 instructions
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SASRIA
Thank you to everyone who has put in the work to make this a success.
Webinar
We hosted a very successful webinar with our Employment Team on Thursday, 11 July 2024 in which they discussed recent developments on the issue of precautionary suspension in light of a recent Constitutional Court Judgment and whether a criminal record is a justifiable bar to employment or amounts to unfair discrimination.
Thank you to everyone that joined us on the day.
Directories
African Legal Awards
It gives us great pleasure to announce that we have been shortlisted in the below categories for The African Legal Awards 2024:
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Private Practice Most Promising Newcomer Award - Sipho Mtsweni
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Private Practice Rising Star Award - Zaakira Haffejee
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Litigation and Dispute Resolution Team of the Year
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CSR, Diversity, Transformation and Economic Empowerment Award
Congratulations and good luck!
Best Lawyers
Voting is open for the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in South Africa and they have started contacting eligible voters (previously recognised professionals). If you have not voted yet, please do so no later than 2 August 2024.
Voting invitations have been sent by email from their CEO, Phillip Greer, at phillip.greer@e.bestlawyers.com.
Let us rate our colleagues well for their quality and seamless work!
Legal 500
Officially opened for submission- deadline 5 August 2024. Please look out for further communication from the marketing team.
Intranet Loading
We are excited to announce the creation of a new shortcut link to our firm's intranet, designed to streamline easy and quick access to the firm’s information and documents.
We believe this intranet will benefit our firm to enhance efficiency and to foster better collaboration across teams by providing quick and easy access to essential information about the firm and up-to-date documents.
Watch this space!
New Joiners
A warm welcome to eight of our YES candidates. We wish you all the best during your stay and we are happy to have you join our family.
We also extend our welcome to Melanie Murcott and Sorien Jansen. We wish you success and prosperity.
Vacation Programme
We had nine vac students in the first week of July. The successful candidates will be joining us as CAs in the new year.
Accolades
We are happy to introduce our announcement board. Should you wish to share any achievements or initiatives, please send your approved request from your line manager to HR. These achievements are not limited to graduations, but include news such as top achievers, happy clients, shining star of the month, or any great initiatives.
Candidate Attorney Rotation
Our 2024 First year CAs will be rotating out as of the end of August.
Board Exams
Congratulations go out to all those who have passed their board exams on the 13th and 14th March 2024. The next set will be from the 21st to the 22nd August 2024, and we wish you all the best for your exams.
Tax Season | 30 September 2024
A copy of your IRP5 will be sent to you directly via email. Should you have any queries please contact HR directly.
Wellness Reminder
ASI is on speed dial for any of the following solutions
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Confidential Counselling, 24/7/365
• Face to face counselling • Couple counselling • Pre-retirement Counselling • Career counselling and coaching
• Trauma and traumatic events • Suicide of a loved one • Death and bereavement • Rape • Domestic violence.
2. Legal advice
3.Financial advice
BONUS: Your family can also benefit from the above
ASI also assists with the following:
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Financial Stresses
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Family Problems
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Trauma
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Post diagnosis counselling
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Work Related problems
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Conflict
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Depression and stress
Please utilise this wonderful, completely confidential free service that is available to you and your family because you are Lawtons employee.
PaySpace
A reminder that PaySpace is our new and refurbished ESS system. All leave days are to be captured on this system. Please click here to register on PaySpace if you haven’t already done so.
Also, should you wish to gain easy and fast access to your team’s leave schedule you can find that on your MS Teams application as follows:
You can also see who is currently on leave in a different team or the whole firm by simply using the “filter” tab highlighted in dark green above.
Celebrations
Happy 60th celebration to Jeff Buckland. Wishing you many more years of good health, wealth, and success.
Our New Home
A reminder that the HR team has moved to the second floor and can be found at the desk cluster in front of the kitchen.
Work Anniversaries
April
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SJ Thema – 01 April 2006
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Melissa Leibowitz – 01 April 2008
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Jeffery Buckland – 01 April 2015
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Reena Ramnarain – 01 April 2020
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Nicole McNamara – 01 April 2022
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Yagashen Pillay – 01 April 2022
May
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Katlego Sekonya – 06 May 2020
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Tshegofatso Mokothama – 17 May 2021
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Paul Ramashidzha – 18 May 2021
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Brendan Mulaudzi – 17 May 2021
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Darryn Mer – 01 May 2023
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Zaakira Haffejee – 01 May 2023
June
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Dimitra Kouvelakis – 14 June 2004
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Busi Khule – 06 June 2005
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Leon Mat-Hope – 22 June 2007
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Daisy Hlatshwayo – 01 June 2007
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Chris Browne – 04 June 2007
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Veronica Vurgarellis – 18 June 2007
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Belinda Farinha – 01 June 2013
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Kgopotso Moloisi – 01 June 2022
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Prudence Moselakgomo – 01 June 2022
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Dineo Nndwammbi – 01 June 2023
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Tshepo Ramaotsoa – 01 June 2023
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Nandipha Phakane – 01 June 2023
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Micheala Wheeler – 01 June 2023
July
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Phindile Phenduka – 01 July 2016
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Nicole Nel – 01 July 2022
August
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Jeanetta Jonker – 31 August 1998
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Karabelo Kosi – 14 August 2023
Congratulations to all of you. You’ve made your mark with your invaluable presence in the firm. We appreciate you and wish you all the best on the journey ahead with us!
Please view our updated graph of fees, here.
Pro bono Initiatives
National Wills Week
The initiative kickstarts in the month of September. We will be partnering with the Johannesburg Attorneys Association and the Masters Office Johannesburg to assist disenfranchised members of the public to have their wills drafted and executed. This is not only an opportunity to help those who need it most but to display your drafting expertise and to make up our community service / pro bono hours.
Keep a look out for further updates in this regard.
Youth Month outreach initiative
In celebrating Youth Month, Lawtons Africa partnered with P.U.S.H organisation and Play Africa to educate the Youth of Kliptown and Eldorado Park in Soweto on Children’s Rights and offering career guidance.
We are accepting donations for the Youth at P.U.S.H. for the entire month of July and would appreciate any clothes, toys, sanitary pads, and any toiletries. Please consider making a donation in the donation boxes that are conveniently located near the kitchen.
Nelson Mandela Day
In Commemorating Nelson Mandela Day and in the spirit of giving back, combating poverty and inequality, we have partnered with three organisations for you to choose from.
Option 1
Sandton SPCA – We will be spending time with the animals, cleaning etc. (the SPCA would also be very grateful for donations in the form of blankets, dog, and cat food).
Option 2
Vuka Uzenzele Pimville Oldies – We will visit and spend time with the elderly citizens at the centre. The centre would appreciate donations in the form of tea; milk; sugar; wool and biscuits.
Option 3
CHOC Foundation Saxonowold – We will spend time with children diagnosed with childhood cancer. The centre houses children and their parents while undergoing treatment. The Foundation has also requested donations for the children and their families. Please attached donation list.
Donations – Mandela Day
Even if you are not able to join us for the day, please consider placing a donation in the donation boxes that are conveniently located near the kitchen, nothing is too big or too small. Please ensure that all donations are received by no later than midday on Wednesday 17 July 2024.
Conclusion
Remember to send us any comments, suggestions or proposals you might have regarding the newsletter or the firm itself. You can either send this with your name or keep it anonymous by clicking here.
Veronica, Penny and SJ
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