It appears the social web has become a breeding ground for defamation claims. There is the sense that the Internet is a free-for-all environment where anyone can do anything with impunity. Many seem to be ignorant of the dangers when posting in the public space, and of the need for responsibility and exercising restraint.
The pandemic changed our world and the way we operate our legal practices. Pre-lockdown, some prejudice existed towards lawyers working from home, based on an assumption that home office environments could be less equipped to offer high level professional legal services. This has changed. Today, world leaders, many corporate professionals, most accountants, many bankers, the Queen and some Judges work from home offices.
If you are looking for someone to fix your plumbing, will you hire a cook to do it? Probably not! Similarly, how will you know if you are hiring the right lawyer for your specific legal problem or issue?
Any workplace creates stress. Experts say there are generally mainly 4 stress factors at any work, namely inter-personal relationships, organizing, multi-tasking and physical discomfort.
The words of then Deputy President Thabo Mbeki addressing the United Nations University on 9 April 1998, were a call on Africans to realise their importance and become equipped for development shaped for equal economic activity and good living.
The South African court system is a very acrimonious system and when you are involved in a litigation process, the end result is to come out as the winner or loser. Unfortunately, in divorce matters, there are no winners.
The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) came into full effect on 1 July 2021. Although lawyers may have been very busy assisting clients to become compliant by the deadline of 30 June 2021, every legal practice also need to comply with POPIA. If you are a lawyer, is your legal practice POPIA compliant?
Essentially, the purpose of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is to protect people from harm by protecting their personal information. To stop their money being stolen, to stop their identity being stolen, and generally to protect their privacy, which is a fundamental human right.
The primary statute governing corruption in South Africa is the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 (“PACCA”). Other relevant statutes criminalising corruption and bribery in South Africa include: the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 1998, the Protected Disclosure Act 2000, the Financial Intelligence Centre Act 2001, the Protection of Constitutional Democracy
Our law distinguishes between criminal and civil cases and how these cases are processed in courts.
