Attorneys Development Fund under new management

August 1st, 2013
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By Nomfundo Manyathi-Jele

Mackenzie Mukansi has been appointed manager for the Attorneys Development Fund (ADF). He holds a BCom Law degree obtained from the University of Limpopo and has experience in auditing and consulting.

The ADF is an independent section 21 non-profit organisation that was established in 2011 and is a joint venture between the constituent members of the Law Society of South Africa (Cape Law Society, KwaZulu-Natal Law Society, Law Society of the Free State, Law Society of the Northern Provinces, Black Lawyers Association and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers) and the Attorneys Fidelity Fund. The ADF is governed by a board of directors that is made up of representatives from each of the above organisations.

The ADF’s primary role, among others, is, to provide assistance to –

  • newly established law firms;
  • an attorney who is with an existing law firm but wishes to establish his or her own law firm;
  • law firms that specialise or intend to specialise in a specific legal field; and
  • law firms in areas where there is a shortage of attorneys.

The nature of assistance provided includes –

  • infrastructural resources for the establishment or operation of practices;
  • business support; and
  • training to empower attorneys to establish and properly manage sustainable practices.

Mr Mukansi is in charge of managing the ADF and of applications for assistance from law firms. He told De Rebus that he will also be forging new partnerships so that the ADF can provide a more comprehensive service to practitioners.

Mr Mukansi said that the goals for the ADF are –

  • to make the ADF known to attorneys;
  • revisiting existing stakeholders with a view of reinforcing existing relationships and forming new ones aimed at propelling the vision of the ADF through alignment with the various stakeholders’ expectations; and
  • to ensure that the ADF is equipped to diversify its services to practitioners by keeping abreast with the changes in the legal profession.

Mr Mukansi has called on attorneys of newly established practices to submit applications for assistance. Mr Mukansi can be contacted at –

  • tel: (012) 366 8856.

Nomfundo Manyathi-Jele, nomfundo@derebus.org.za

 This article was first published in De Rebus in 2013 (Aug) DR 11.

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