KwaZulu-Natal Law Society

Transcription

1 KwaZulu-Natal Law Society OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR YOUR REF : OUR REF : 11/4/08 Please Quote Our Reference 19 June ST FLOOR, 200 HOOSEN HAFFEJEE STREET (formerly BERG STREET) P.O. BOX 1454 PIETERMARITZBURG 3200 FAX: (033) DX: 25 TELEPHONE: (033) info@lawsoc.co.za Website: CIRCULAR 4/2008 ALL PRACTISING MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY Dear Member 1. SEMINAR TO MEMBERS BY BARGAINING COUNCILS AND THE CCMA Members are invited to attend a seminar which has been arranged by the Society to take place on Thursday, 3 July 2008, commencing at 9:00 at the CCMA Office, 7 th Floor, the Embassy Building, 199 Smith Street, Durban. The areas to be covered by the CCMA are as follows: An overview of the CCMA and its operations. Appointment of Commissioners. Code of Conduct. With regards to the Bargaining Councils the following have been identified: The scope of the Bargaining Council. Nature of disputes. Requirements for appointment to the Panel. Code of Conduct. Seating is limited to 25 people and will be on a first come basis, and members wishing to attend should please advise the Society's office by no later than Friday, 27 June Ref. DIR 36/3

2 CIRCULAR 4/2008 Page 2 2. UKZN LAW STUDENTS VACATION JOBS JULY 2008 The Society participated in the Law Professions Day hosted by the University of KwaZulu Natal at the Pietermaritzburg and Howard College campuses earlier this year, at which event there were numerous requests from students for experiential training during their vacation. Members are encouraged to provide students with the opportunity to be exposed to the daily operations of a law firm. Should you be in a position to offer such opportunity, kindly Cynthia or Patty at or cynthia@lawsoc.co.za. 3. SASSETA : SKILLS DEVELOPMENT : WORK SKILLS PLAN (WSP) Is your firm complying with the law by paying your Skills Development levy, (if applicable), but not obtaining any refund thereof? Are you aware that your firm could receive 15% of your payment back by merely submitting a Work Skills Plan? You will also enjoy the support of a SETA (Sector Education Training Authority) for the legal profession's aligned training interventions. We can show you how, educate and support you with obtaining substantial refunds. Please contact Cynthia Naidoo at the Law Society on , cynthia@lawsoc.co.za for more information. 4. FRAUDULENT CHEQUE/EFT SCAM IN THE NAME OF THE ATTORNEYS FIDELITY FUND Members are referred to Circular 9/2007 when members were alerted to instances in which attempts to defraud attorney firms were made. These attempts are ongoing and a number of members have brought these to the Society s and the Fund s attention. You are once again alerted to these schemes and encouraged to verify requests from the Fund and/or the Law Society insofar as these relate to financial matters. Ref. DIR 5/23

3 CIRCULAR 4/2008 Page 3 5. LSSA SURVEY OF THE ATTORNEYS PROFESSION Members are referred to the national survey distributed by the Law Society of South Africa and advised that the closing date for submission of the return has been extended to the 30 th June The LSSA has reported a 10% return to date. Members are urged to complete these and submit them to the LSSA as soon as possible. Ref. DIR 45/18 6. MASTER'S OFFICE: CONCERN/COMPLAINTS The Director General has invited the Law Society of South Africa to furnish him with information regarding the inefficient operations of the Masters offices. In order to consolidate information and to furnish a succinct report, members are encouraged to document their concerns/complaints in the format as attached. Enclosed are the contact details of the Master's Office, Durban, for information. Ref. DIR 47/1 7. CHIEF MASTER'S DIRECTIVE 2 OF 2008 I am referring to you Chief Master's Directive 2 of The purpose of this directive is to implement a control measure over the movement of files within the Master's Branch. Ref. DIR 47/4/4 8. CIRCULAR 1 OF 2008 JUDICARE TARIFF AMENDMENTS AND INCREASES The CEO of the Legal Aid Board had referred to the Society the amendments and increases to both the civil and criminal legal aid tariffs with effect from 1 April The Circular is available on the Society s library website at and on the LAB website at Ref. DIR 39/10/4

4 CIRCULAR 4/2008 Page 4 9. PIETERMARITZBURG CANDIDATE ATTORNEY WORKSHOPS Enclosed is the schedule for Pietermaritzburg Candidate Attorney Workshops to be held at the KwaZulu-Natal Law Society dining-room, 1 st Floor, 200 Hoosen Haffejee Street, Pietermaritzburg, on the following dates: Date Time Topic 9 July :00-16:00 Etiquette of Advocacy and Relationship with Counsel (Part 1) 16 July :00-16:00 Etiquette of Advocacy and Relationship with Counsel (Part 2) 23 July :00-14:00 Criminal Law 30 July :00-14:00 Summaries of Procedures in Conveyancing 6 August :00-14:00 Court Etiquette 13 August :00-14:00 Basic Principles on Accounting 27 August :00-14:00 Legal Writing 3 September :00-14:00 E-Law 10. CHIEF JUSTICE ISMAIL MOHAMED: MEMORIAL LECTURE The Council of the KZN Law Society is honoured to announce the institution of an annual lecture and dinner in memory of the late Judge Ismail Mohamed, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Mohamed was a brilliant scholar, an eminent jurist and a man of great moral courage and vision. His forensic brilliance is evidenced in our legal and constitutional jurisprudence by his work as Counsel and judgements on various branches of the law. In order to celebrate the life and legal heritage of an extra-ordinary human being the Society has resolved to hold this inaugural lecture and gala dinner on the 1 st of August 2008 at the Great Ilanga Room, Southern Sun, Elangeni Hotel, Marine Parade, Durban commencing at 19:30. Judge Pius Langa, the present Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa has agreed to deliver the inaugural lecture. It is anticipated that the widow and family members of the late Chief Justice, Judges of the Constitutional Court and divisions of the High Court will be in attendance.

5 CIRCULAR 4/2008 Page 5 As the Society is heavily subsidising the hosting of the event the cost inclusive of the gala dinner is limited to R per person. Attendance will be on a first come basis and must be prepaid. As a consequence of seating capacity limitations, attendance is unfortunately restricted to members and invited guests. Members wishing to attend are requested to remit their payments to the Society either by cheque or EFT by no later than 30 June 2008 with payment reference number ML-(insert member's subscription number). The Society's banking details are as follows: Natal Law Society FNB, Boom Street Branch Code Acc No Ref. DIR 31/2 11. LIST OF NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE FROM LIBRARIES Set out below is a list of the new books for publication available from both the Durban and Pietermaritzburg libraries: 1. Hiemstra criminal procedure by A Kruger. Durban: LexisNexis, The ABC of Conveyancing by Lizelle Killbourne. Cape Town: Juta, 2008 (dbn library only) 3. Mineral and petroleum law of South Africa: a commentary by PJ Badenhorst & H Mostert. Cape Town: Juta, Consolidated practice directives manual [..]. Durban: LexisNexis, Contract: general principles 3 rd ed. By S Van der Merwe [et al]. Juta: Cape Town 6. Cooper s motor law: criminal liability, administrative adjudication & medico-legal aspects 2 nd ed. by S V Hoctor. Cape Town: Juta, Conveyancing practice guide 3 rd ed. By Christie Durban: LexisNexis, 2008

6 CIRCULAR 4/2008 Page LEGAL SERVICES CHARTER ROADSHOWS The KwaZulu-Natal Law Society will be holding Roadshows on the Legal Services Charter in the following areas: Pietermaritzburg, Durban, Empangeni, Port Shepstone and Newcastle. Practitioners and all relevant stakeholders are invited to attend. Details will follow in the next Circular and on the Society's website. This Circular is issued on behalf of the Council. Encl. G.M. JOHN DIRECTOR