About Us
Our firm’s senior attorney, Maria Du Toit [BLC LLB LLM University of Pretoria], was admitted as an attorney on 22 July 1997 and began this firm in 1999.
She was the national legal representative of the South African Police Union for 4 years (2001 – 2004).
At the time SAPU, whose membership numbered 60 000 or more functional and administrative police staff, was a majority union in the safety and security sector. Maria’s successes included the re-instatement of several unfairly dismissed members and a rank and leg promotion dispute that involved tens of thousands of police members, with the result that hundreds of millions of rands were paid out to those affected.
Her monthly articles in the Union Post were eagerly read by union members and officials. She represented SAPU as an employer in all of the union’s labour disputes and managed all of the union’s legal affairs including collections, re-possessions, contractual claims and high court matters.
Maria furthered her studies with a Master’s Degree in Labour Law in 2003, which she achieved with distinction. She was a part time Instructor for the Law Society of South Africa from 2002-2003 on costs and labour dispute resolution and for the University of Pretoria in 2003 on s 189 and s197 of Labour Relations Act.
In 2007 she was selected from hundreds of applicants by the Law Society of South Africa to attend a Judicial Skills Training Course, which she successfully completed.
Professional Assistant
The firm’s professional assistant, Chantelle Coertzen [LLB], was admitted as an attorney on 5 June 2006 and joined our team on 14 January 2011.
From 15 March 2004 – 22 November 2005, she was employed by Symington & De Kok Attorneys (Bloemfontein) as a Candidate Attorney (with right of appearance) and gained valuable knowledge and experience in Civil litigation and Collections.
From 23 November 2005 – 31 March 2007, she was with Pratt Luyt & De Lange Attorneys (Polokwane) and completed her articles there. After being admitted as an Attorney she stayed on and practiced as a Professional Assistant (with right of appearance) in various fields which included Civil, Commercial and Family Law litigation, Deceased Estates, Motor Vehicle Liability Claims for Mutual & Federal Insurance Company, Third Party claims and Close Corporations.
From 1 April 2007 – 26 October 2007, she was with Davel De Klerk & Kgatla Attorneys (Polokwane) and had her own department specialising in Civil and Commercial Litigation and Correspondent’s instructions which included Road Accident Fund and Third Party Claims.
From 5 May 2008 – 30 September 2009, she was with S Roux Inc Attorneys (Pretoria) and practiced in the Civil, Commercial and Family Law litigation department.
Supporting Staff
Nancy Smith is one of the firm’s legal assistants.
She matriculated from Hillview High School in 1998 and worked for Jaco Duvenhage Attorneys in 2005, typing legal documents and in debt collection.
Nancy began at our firm in 2008 as a legal assistant.
She drives regular progress reports to clients and manages the administration of files. She ensures all files pass the hands of an attorney every 7 days and that a report on progress is sent to the client.
Supporting Staff
Joulene L. Reid is one of the firm’s other legal assistants.
She matriculated from Gerrit Maritz High School in 2005 and worked for Tim du Toit Attorneys (Pretoria) from 2006 up until January 2010, assisting an attorney with a sight disability with typing of legal documents, drafting bills of costs, accompanied him to court as well as necessary consultations.
Joulene began at our firm in 2010 as a temporary legal assistant and has since been appointed on a permanent basis as a legal and administrative assistant.
She drives regular progress reports to clients and manages the accounting of all clients as well as the basic bookkeeping of the firm.
