By Kim Hawkey – editor

This is a bittersweet moment for me as I pen my last editor’s note for De Rebus.

By the time you receive this month’s issue, I will have taken up a new post as group courts and law editor at the Times Media Group.

Editing De Rebus has been an extremely fulfilling role and a privilege.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the past two and a half years editing such an eminent journal that allowed me to interact with so many facets of the law on a daily basis.

As part of my role as editor, I was required to read articles that often considered a novel aspect of the law, as well as recent case law and new legislation. At times, I wondered how it was possible that I was being paid to do something I enjoyed so much.

I also had the opportunity to meet and liaise with a broad range of members of the legal profession and, most importantly, our readers, many of whom have taken the time to interact with me over the years and provide support and suggestions relating to the journal.

During my time as editor, the journal underwent changes in terms of design, style and content, which have been met with positive feedback.

I am incredibly proud of the journal we produced each month and grateful that I am able to leave on a high note.

We recently received the results of the reader survey we conducted earlier this year in an effort to improve the journal, which show that, although there is always room for further improvement, we are on the right track (see p 6 for an overview of the survey results).

The results show that over 93% of respondents rated the journal as excellent or good, and over 93% rated its content as well written, researched and presented.

The survey also provided valuable information about our readers’ reading habits, their willingness to pay for the journal if necessary, their thoughts on De Rebus Digital and their suggestions on avenues to explore to take the journal up a notch.

I will leave this information in the hands of the very capable De Rebus team, who will – after my departure on 14 June – be led by our deputy editor, Mapula Sedutla, who will be acting editor until a permanent appointment is made.

I want to thank our regular contributors and columnists, who have consistently provided interesting and high quality content for the journal and who have made my job all the more interesting.

I have also had an excellent relationship with the journal’s Editorial Committee members, who play such an important advisory role and who have supported me during my term as editor. I, too, have received the support of the Law Society of South Africa’s various committee members and its management team, of which I was a member, and which comprises a dedicated group of people I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work alongside and learn from.

I would like my final words in De Rebus to be dedicated to the De Rebus team, who I have thoroughly enjoyed working with and who have made coming to work each day over the past two and a half years an absolute pleasure.

This article was first published in De Rebus in 2013 (July) DR 3.