Lawyers practising outside Windhoek meet once a year to discuss matters of law
The large distances in Namibia necessitates the legal regulator, the Law Society of Namibia, to reach out to its members in outlying towns for once-a-year information sharing sessions and to get feedback from the legal practitioners in these areas.
In February this year, the first of these meetings for the year took place in Otjiwarongo, a day before the Law Society conducted its free legal advice day for the town’s residents.
Called circle meetings, the Law Society said the benefit of these meetings lies in the opportunity for its members, all practising legal practitioners, to share information with the Society’s council and amongst colleagues in the same area.
At a circle meeting, legal practitioners are informed about the Society’s role, its work and its special projects. It is also a platform where members share their concerns and challenges in the practise of law, with the Society’s elected council.
“The benefit of the circle meetings is, inter alia, that members share information with Council and colleagues in the region about what they do and challenges they face. Solutions are discussed and in the process colleagues learn from the experiences of others. In certain circumstances matters are referred to Council for discussion with the relevant authorities on behalf of the members,” stated the Law Society.
The meetings are often the only place where lawyers of a specific area meet, and after the formalities, the conversation proceeds in a more relaxed and social manner, away from the pressures of running a practice and consulting clients every day.
During the year, further circle meetings will be held in the North, at the coast, in the South and in Gobabis.
Caption: Attending the recent Law Society circle meeting for the north-central area, at the Village Boutique Hotel in Otjiwarongo, are from the left, Retha Steinmann, the Law Society Director with candidate legal practitioner Wihann Bezuidenhout, and legal practitioners Charles Bodenstein, Cornelius de Koning, and Maronel du Plessis. On the right is Law Society Councillor, Mr Appolos Shimakeleni. (Photograph by Gaby Ferreira)
