Sisters In Conversation

Zola Mbatha, an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of RSA, is the founder of Legacy Yezibaya, a niche consultancy that specializes in estate planning, fiduciary services as well as general legal advice.

Through this consultancy Zola has been invited as a guest speaker at the Africa Financial Inclusion Summit held in Cape Town in 2024; on "Redefining your Money with Palesa", as a moderator for Old Mutual (BD Trust); she has MC'd for Esteemed Financial Services' Pension Fund Workshop; and featured in her capacity as a Fiduciary Specialist and Estate Planner for the I am Lady in Justice workshop hosted by Sister In Law amongst many other public speaking platforms. She holds an LLB Degree and is due to complete her Business Compliance course to qualify as a CPrac.

We would love to hear from you, follow us on instagram @sister_in_law_ and @zoeymbatha

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Manaileng is an admitted Attorney of the High

Court of South Africa with over 10 years extensive experience in the legal industry. She

is the Managing Director of Maphike Attorneys

Incorporated, a specialist boutique law firm through which she provides legal services mainly in Entertainment Law (Music, Film and Television), Intellectual Property Law, Commercial Law, Media Law, Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Manaileng has a strong background in

corporate commercial law, commercial

litigation, entertainment law, intellectual property law media law and information technology law representing clients in court, parliament, inquiries and other various forums.

She has worked in both private practice and corporate, including Africa’s largest collective management organization, The Southern African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO) as a Business Development Manager: Licensing. Her legal prowess was further harnessed at illustrious black-owned information technology companies which significantly diversified her expertise as a well-rounded and knowledgeable

attorney.

She has participated in numerous workshops, panels, television and radio programs and engaged in legal commentary on news channels dedicated to educating the creative industry on music licensing and contractual matters in the entertainment world. Her experience resulted in her joining a collective of 6 (six) women in the music industry to co-found the chapter of Women in Music South Africa which NPO she is the current Chapter Chair.

She is the sole Director at Yateletata Services, an Intellectual Property Law and Entertainment

Law specialist consultancy where she provides

IP advisory services as well as legal (contract law) training and workshops geared towards the educating the music industry.

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We would love to hear from you, find us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @maphikeinc

If you know a trailblazing woman of colour in the legal profession and believe that her story will inspire someone please send your guest suggestions to [email protected]

Yvonne Princess Shabangu is an admitted attorney of the high court of South Africa. She graduated with her LLB (2019) and LLM in banking law (2022) from the University of Johannesburg. Yvonne is the founder of Employment Wednesdays, a platform that focuses on youth empowerment, career development and all employment related matters. She has experience in general litigation and commercial law matters. She currently works as an in-house legal counselor specialising in labour law. Yvonne is a YouTuber, and the purpose of her channel is to empower, educate, encourage, and share relatable experiences that ignite hope, appetite for growth, and living to the fullest. She is a recipient of the Mail & Guardian top 50 Powerful Women award 2023. She loves reading, and travelling.

We would love to hear from you, follow us on Instagram: @sister_in_law_ and @yvee_graceful

Bohlale Paile is the Founder of Get Corporate Ready, a platform which teaches corporate professionals the importance of taking charge of their careers! She’s an award winning HR & Talent Specialist with a passion for young professionals in South Africa.

She completed her BCom Honours in HR & Industrial Psychology at Wits University. In her corporate journey she has worked for many top organisations in the country such as Investec Bank, Standard Bank, Bowmans (Law firm) and most recently Transaction Capital & We Buy Cars.

As a Career Mentor, she’s passionate about uplifting and creating opportunities for professionals through knowledge sharing on her social media platforms and providing guided mentorship. She’s been voted as one of the most influential recruiters by the South African Graduate Employment Association 5 times within her career.

Self-confidence, relationship building and personal development are the cornerstones to corporate success. These are a few of the skills which allowed her to built the personal brand she is proud of today!

We would love to hear from you. Follow us on instagram @sister_in_law_ @bohlalepaile

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Leah Molatseli is a lawyer, published author, and engaging speaker, renowned for her innovative contributions to Legal Tech. As the founder of Contract Alchemists, she focuses on modernizing legal teams through legal operations, agile methodologies, and technology, propelling the legal sector into a new era of efficiency and effectiveness. Leah's academic endeavors include guest lecturing at the University of Cape Town, where she enlightens legal professionals on the transformative power of legal tech. A Mandela Washington Fellow and University of Notre Dame alum, Leah's dedication to advancing legal tech is further evidenced by her ISF Africa fellowship in 2023 and her recent shortlisting for the Women in Law Awards Justitia 2023. Her leadership roles extend to the Advisory Board for the Global Legal Tech Hub and national representation for the Global Legal Tech Consortium. Leah's significant contributions to legal tech innovation have earned her accolades such as being named one of the International Legal Technology Association's Most Influential Women in Legal Tech for 2022, an American Bar Association 2022 Women of Legal Tech Honouree and Voice and Brand Council Member of CLOC (Corporate Legal Operations Consortium).

We would love to hear from you, follow us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @leahmolatseli

If you haven’t already purchased your tickets for the upcoming I am Lady Justice workshop in Polokwane you can do so now on www.sisterinlaw.co.za

See highlights from our previous workshop here: https://youtu.be/e4pYh4hqZ3k?si=goxH7_GityRiEZgd

Aurelia Hlobsile Nxumalo is an admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, recognised for her multifaceted expertise in law, entrepreneurship, public speaking, and digital

influence. With a background spanning in compliance management, corporate governance, risk assessment, and legal counsel roles across various industries, she brings a wealth of experience to her endeavours. Aurelia's professional journey includes serving as an Anti-Money Laundering Officer for an Investment Manager, a Fraud Specialist in the Broadcasting industry, and an In-House Legal

Counsel for organisations operating in diverse sectors such as mining, construction, property development, corporate finance advisory, agriculture, electronic manufacturing, and

the information technology sector. Her proficiency extends to drafting and interpreting

agreements, providing counsel on employment law matters, overseeing disciplinary actions, conducting research, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Aurelia holds the esteemed

role of Chairperson for disciplinary hearings, where her expertise in legal matters and commitment to due process ensures fair and just outcomes. Beyond her legal career, Aurelia is dedicated to social impact initiatives, playing advisory roles in corporate social

responsibility projects and community-based endeavours. She has also contributed her expertise to crafting social media strategies for political figures. In Aurelia's world, the legal landscape isn't just about statutes and cases; it's a canvas where she paints change,

empowerment, and a vision for a brighter, more inclusive future.

Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, certifications in Information Technology and Law, Compliance Management, Contract Drafting and Interpretation, as well as specialized training in Labour Dispute Resolution Practice from the Mandela Institute - School of Law at WITS. She is a graduate of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) South Africa 2021 program. As a co-founder of Learned Friend™ and Meraki Legal (Pty) Ltd, Aurelia demonstrates her commitment to innovation and accessibility in legal services. Learned Friend™ serves as a platform for legal discourse and education, offering programs focused on digital citizenship and anti-bullying initiatives for South African school learners. Meraki Legal, a 100% black female-owned virtual legal consultancy, provides tailored solutions to individuals and entities, aiming to simplify the legal aspects of business operations. As an advocate for personal and professional development, Aurelia is dedicated to passing the baton, ensuring knowledge and inspiration continue to shape the future.

Aurelia's influence extends beyond her legal practice, with a significant following of over 154,000 on Instagram. She has contributed thought leadership pieces to publications such as Destiny Magazine and served as a quarterly contributor to a legal column in MentHer Magazine. She has also been recognized as a Brand South Africa - Play Your Part Ambassador.

Aurelia embodies the ethos of active citizenship and positive change. She is passionate about empowering others and believes in the importance of sharing knowledge and fostering personal and professional growth within her community.

Follow us on Instagram: @sister_in_law_ @aurelianxumalo

Deborah is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa, holding chambers at Thulamela in Sandton. She specialises in general commercial and constitutional law

She is the co-founder of Tumbo Scott, a new age full service corporate and legal consultancy operating from the heart of Sandton. She qualified as an attorney and worked as a corporate associate at Webber Wentzel, one of South Africa’s top 5 law firms, where she worked on some of the biggest corporate and commercial transactions in the country. Deborah thereafter worked as a senior law clerk to Justice Sisi Khampepe of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, during which time she researched for and advised the judge on some the most complex cases in the country. Following this, Deborah worked at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a dispute resolution attorney for different corporate and government entities in South Africa.

Deborah has a wealth of legal knowledge and experience. Prior to joining the bar, and together with her co-founder, Dr Tshepiso Scott (LLD), built Tumbo Scott into a notable boutique law firm that, in just over 5 years, serviced various clients in the regional, and local corporate and commercial space, including international and listed companies. At the beginning of 2019, Deborah also lent her legal expertise to the fight against corruption in South Africa, representing a well-known non-governmental organisation.

In this role, she was instrumental in spearheading various ground-breaking legal matters – including litigation against former members of state-owned entities implicated in allegations of malfeasance and corruption using the Companies Act, and successfully reviewing the findings of the Arms Procurement Commission, securing a landmark and historic victory against the presidency of the Republic of South Africa.

Deborah has also held the position of the special secretariat to the African Union, and in this capacity, she led the preparation of the draft African Union’s Common African Position on Asset Recovery (the “CAPAR”) working closely with African Union ambassadors and international dignitaries while consulting for the Coalition for African Dialogue (CoDA). The drafting of the CAPAR was a huge success and has been accepted as African Union policy by a resolution of the African Union Heads of State (Assembly/AU/Dec.774(XXXIII)).

She also serves as the youngest board member on many boards, including the likes of ABSA Home Loans (101)(RF), A multi-national listed ETF company, NewGold Limited, the Merril Lynch South Africa Charitable Trust and, more recently, has been appointed as a trustee on ABSA Bank’s Corporate Social Investment Trust.

Deborah holds an LLB and an LLM (cum laude) in public international law, with a focus on business and human rights, from the University of Johannesburg. She also acquired a certificate from the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership institute for the course on the African Political Economy, which is aimed at inspiring leaders to understand the economic challenges confronting Africa with a view of bringing about positive change on the continent.

Deborah has been recognised as one of the top 200 young South Africans in the legal field for 2018 by the Mail & Guardian, and in June 2019 she received a special recognition award from Premier David Makhura at the Gauteng City Region Premier's Youth Excellence and Service Awards for her efforts in justice and law. She has also been recognised by the international community as a nominee for the Mary Chirwa Awards for Courageous leadership and was honoured at the awards ceremony held at the Peace Palace in the Hague, Netherlands in September 2019, and in June 2021 she was featured in Forbes Africa’s 30 Under 30 as a young innovative entrepreneur to watch in the legal field.

Livhuwani Musetsho is an admitted attorney of the High Court of south Africa and the managing director Musetsho Attorneys Incorporated. She was born and raised in Venda and matriculated at Mbilwi Secondary school in 1997. She then went to UCT to study Psychology initially then changed to the arts.

During her studies Livhuwani held various jobs on and off campus. After graduating, she was unemployed for 18 months before joining South African Airways in 2004 as a Cabin Crew Member/Flight Attendant. In 2016 Livhuwani graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from Regenesys Business School and also became a Senior

Cabin Crew Member. In 2017 she became a Trainer, for pilots and cabin crew members. She held this position until getting retrenched in 2020 during SAA’s restructuring. She worked for SAA for 16 years and during her tenure at SAA, she enrolled with the University of South Africa for LLB and completed her degree 2020 at the age of 41. In 2021 she completed her articles and law school, and in 2022 she wrote her boards exams. During 2022 Livhuwani also completed an Engineering and Construction Contracts course through the University of Pretoria. She was then admitted as an attorney on the 24 February 2023. In May of 2023 Livhuwani incorporated Musetsho Attorneys Incorporated which provides various legal services including medical negligence; construction law and immigration law.

We would like to hear from you, follow us on Instagram @sister_in_law_ @musetsholivhuwani

Lurenchia Jacobs is an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and is currently an Associate at Mashitisho Attorneys. She has a strong background in litigation with her main practice areas being criminal law, family law, labour law and insurance law. Lurenchia is passionate about delivering quality legal services and she achieves this by prioritizing her client’s best interests. Lurenchia is an exceptional legal practitioner and is intentional about making a name for herself in a male dominated industry.

We would love to hear from you on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @thereal_msjacobs

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Adv. Thulelo Makola is a practicing advocate, entrepreneur, and legal scholar, hailing from Soshanguve, South Africa, where she was born in 1988. Prior to establishing herself in the legal profession, Adv Makola held positions as a state law adviser at the South African Law Reform Commission and as a legal researcher at the Office of the Chief Litigation Officer at the Department of Justice. Additionally, she imparted her expertise as a lecturer at the University of South Africa.

With a diverse background spanning across various sectors, Adv Makola's entrepreneurial spirit has led her to venture into business endeavors alongside her legal practice. Her legal expertise encompasses areas such as Administrative law, procurement law, commercial contracts, and general litigation. Driven by a passion for ensuring equitable access to justice, Adv Thulelo Makola dedicates her efforts to empowering marginalized individuals and the "missing middle" who face barriers to legal resources and representation. Adv Makola holds an LLB and an LLM in Private International law (Cum Laude) from the University of South Africa.

We would love to hear from you on Instagram @sister_in_law_ and @di_thulelo

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The I am Lady Justice workshop is making a comeback in Johannesburg on Saturday 9 March 2024. This is an in-person workshop where women will have the opportunity to engage with an expert panel of legal practitioners on topics pertaining to marriage, divorce, child maintenance, wills, deceased estates and employment law. The last batch of tickets are on sale on I am Lady Justice workshop (JHB) – Sister In Law: https://sisterinlaw.co.za/product/i-am-lady-justice-workshop-jhb/