The 17th Anniversary of the Judge JPK Trust and the 10th Annual Judge JPK Trust Legal Excellence Awards took place on Friday, 25 November 2016 at Hotel Thule, prior to the AGM of the LSN.

Read more about the awards here.

The Council of the LSN for the term November 2016 until November 2017 is:

Front:  Saima Nambinga, Johann du Plessis (Vice-Chairperson)
Ramon Maasdorp (Chairperson), Doris Hans-Kaumbi

Back:  Melki Uupindi, Gaenor Michaels, Smart Elago, Meyer van den Berg

(Photograph by Retha Steinmann)

The International Institute of Law Association Chief Executives held its 2016 conference and AGM in Wellington, New Zealand from 26 to 29 October 2016.  
The theme of the conference was “Preparing for the Future – Demographics, Trends and New Realities.”



Read more abot the conference and AGM here.

Reporting to the Director, as well as the Council of the LSN, the position of Manager:  Finance and Human Resources is responsible, inter alia, to ensure and oversee the proper bookkeeping and financial management of the LSN; manage the LSN’s payroll and human resources functions; preparation of monthly financial statements; preparation and management of the annual budget; preparation and management of projected cash flow statements; ensuring best practice and good corporate governance; risk management; managing the operational financial objectives of the LSN; developing strategies and long-term goals; liaising with the auditors and  preparation of the yearly audit; developing external relationships with the banks, Receiver of Inland Revenue, the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund and other statutory organisations; responsible for the issuing of membership accounts and the collection of fees due to the LSN; and ensuring statutory and policy compliance. Find out more about the vacancy here.

Members of the Law Society are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Law Society of Namibia. On:  Friday, 25 November 2016 Time:  8h45 – 17h00 Venue:  Hotel Thule, Windhoek

For the past few months, the SADC Lawyers’ Association (SADCLA) has been closely observing the developments in South Africa. The hope as the Association watched these developments was that the government and people of South Africa would quickly find a platform for dialogue and address the challenges bedeviling the country. The SADCLA is concerned that such a platform continues to be elusive and the state of politics, the economy and the attendant social instability in South Africa is worrying, not only for South Africa and South Africans, but the rest of SADC and its citizens. Find out more about this article here.

As part of its policy to promote the education of candidates to gain entry to the legal profession, the Law Society of Namibia, with the assistance of the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund and the Namibian Legal Practitioners’ Trust, annually provides bursaries to law students or prospective law students. Find out more about the 2017 bursaries here.

To catch up with the rapid pace of change in the Namibian and global legal landscape and to enhance the legal profession’s ability to meet the needs of those it already serves / underserves / does not serve at all, the LSN has recently started a project that aims to make recommendations to the Namibian Government and the LSN members, for changes to the profession’s governing instruments, i.e. the Act, the Rules and the Policies. Similarly, changes are proposed for the LSN's operational arm. Find out more about the project here.

From Left to Right
Front:  Retha Steinmann (Director), Ingrid Husselmann, Wouter Rossouw (President), Anne-Doris Hans-Kaumbi.
Back: Smart Elago, Saima Nambinga, Ramon Maasdorp (Vice President),  Gaenor Michaels, Melki Uupindi

The Law Society of Namibia, on behalf of the legal profession, congratulates the President, His Excellency Dr Hage Geingob, as well as the Government and the People of the Republic of Namibia on achieving 26 years of Peace, Stability and Progress. Read more here.

Reporting to the Director, as well as the Council of the LSN, the Financial Manager is responsible, inter alia, for the bookkeeping and financial management of the LSN; payroll; preparation of monthly financial statements; preparation and management of the annual budget; preparation and management of projected cash flow statements; ensuring good corporate governance; managing the operational financial objectives of the LSN; developing strategies and long-term goals; liaising with the auditors regarding the yearly audit; developing external relationships with the banks, Receiver of Inland Revenue and other statutory organisations; responsible for the issuing of membership accounts and the collection of fees owed to the LSN; and ensuring statutory and policy compliance. Find out more about the vacancy here.

This position supports the Director and Manager Professional Affairs in achieving, inter alia, the primary management of internal and external relationships in various segments, such as continuing professional development, management of committees and facilitation of complaints against legal practitioners; corporate governance; supporting the strategic and operational objectives of the LSN; and ensuring statutory and policy compliance. Find out more about the vacancy here.

The 9th annual JP Karuaihe Trust Fund Excellence Award winners have been announced. They are Nicole Duminy (Best LLB Final Year Student 2014), Sune de Klerk (Best JTC Student 2014), the Legal Assistance Centre and the UNAM Legal Aid Clinic. Find out more about the Trust and the Awards here

During 2016, bursaries will be available to students to pursue their studies at a suitable institution for a law degree recognised in Namibia. The minimum requirements may be found here...

The Council of the Law Society of Namibia re-appointed Mr Habo Gerdes, Ms Hilke Ahrens and Mr Ramon Maasdorp to serve on the Board of Control of the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund. For more details see here

As part of its policy to promote the education of candidates to gain entry to the legal profession, the Law Society with the assistance of the Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund and the Namibian Legal Practitioners’ Trust awarded nine bursaries for 2014. See the recipients, here...

At the International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference in Tokyo held during October 2014, the IBA Council met and elected new office bearers. Mrs Deidre Sauls (Past President and Councillor of the Law Society of Namibia) was elected as one of the Bar Issues Commission (BIC) Officers. In addition to her general duties as BIC Officer, she will also be responsible for communications in Africa and Europe. For more details on the IBA elections see here

At the IILACE annual meeting held in Cape Town during November new Executive Committee was elected.  Mrs Retha Steinmann (Past and Present Director of the Law Society of Namibia) was elected as Secretary / Treasurer of the IILACE Executive Committee for a two-year term. For more details on the IILACE annual meeting see here