Law Society saddened at death of Eastern Cape legal practitioner, Gordon Pope

December 4th, 2019
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King William’s Town legal practitioner and legal education instructor, Gordon Pope, passed away on 24 October at the age of 53.

By Nomfundo Jele

The Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) issued a press release on the untimely passing of King William’s Town legal practitioner and legal education instructor, Gordon Pope, on 24 October at the age of 53.

The LSSA said that it was saddened by the passing and said that Mr Pope’s passion was the legal profession and from the start he was involved with the Cape Law Society and the King William’s Town Attorney’s Association. At the time of his passing, he was serving as a member of the newly formed Legal Practice Council.

‘As we acknowledge Mr Pope’s contribution to the profession, we also acknowledge the immense loss to his firm, clients, and mostly to his family. We extend the condolences of the attorneys’ profession to his wife Helen Pope, and his children Emma and Jack,’ said LSSA President, Mvuzo Notyesi.

Mr Pope was born in Cape Town on 13 February 1966. He attended a local primary school and then spent his high school years as a boarder at Grey High School in Port Elizbeth where he matriculated in 1983. As was the custom for young men at the time, Mr Pope had to do two years military service. He attained the rank of corporal.

Mr Pope attained his BA degree in 1988 and his LLB in 1991. He served his articles at Barnes and Ross (now Smith Tabata) in King William’s Town and was admitted as an attorney in March 1994. After 16 years with Smith Tabata, Mr Pope started his own law practice in 2009 and Pope Attorneys celebrated their tenth anniversary in June this year.

For the last number of years Mr Pope lectured at the University of Fort Hare and was an instructor at the LSSA Schools for Legal Education since 2005. He had a passion to teach candidate legal practitioners and was a strong advocate for the Schools for Legal Practice.

Mr Pope believed in skills development in the younger generation of legal practitioners and put these beliefs into action via his presenting of vocational training to others. He set an example to fellow legal practitioners and remained faithful to these beliefs until the very end. In this way he contributed to access of the public to quality legal services.

Mr Pope suffered from a stroke while training and imparting knowledge to others. The legal profession salutes him.

Nomfundo Jele, Acting Communications Manager, Law Society of South Africa, nomfundom@lssa.org.za

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