Daphne Makombe
Legal Consultant
JOHANNESBURG
Summary
Offering strong interpersonal skills and positive attitude, ready to engage and assist students in their academic journey. Contributes dedication to learning and ability to quickly grasp new educational materials. Ready to use and develop effective communication and problem-solving skills in tutoring and marking students assignments and examinations.
Personable and patient with solid understanding of academic subjects and effective communication techniques. Well-versed in developing personalized study plans and capable of simplifying complex concepts to enhance student understanding. Dedicated to fostering positive learning environment and helping students achieve academic success.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
23
23
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Final LLB Student Tutor and Assignment Marker
ProBono.Org
Braamfontein, Johannesburg
03.2024 - Current
- Conducted diagnostic assessments to pinpoint areas of weakness, allowing for targeted intervention designed to improve performance.
- Communicated regularly with parents regarding their child''s progress towards academic goals.
- Collaborated with faculty to develop after-school tutoring program for struggling students.
- Demonstrated reliability by attending scheduled sessions and communicating in advance of cancellations.
- Boosted student confidence and academic performance through consistent feedback and encouragement.
- Prepared students for standardized tests by focusing on test-taking strategies and time management skills.
- Adapted teaching methodologies to accommodate diverse learning styles and abilities.
- Implemented creative problem-solving techniques in tutoring sessions, resulting in improved critical thinking skills.
- Served as a positive role model for students both academically and personally, inspiring continued dedication to their education.
- Provided academic assistance to students with subject-specific problems and questions to improve student academic achievement.
- Evaluated student work for accuracy and thoroughness, providing constructive criticism in a supportive manner.
- Enabled higher grades and improved understanding through the use of visual aids, real-world examples, and hands-on activities during tutoring sessions.
- Assessed student learning needs and provided relevant instruction to close knowledge gaps.
- Administered standardized tests to assess student strengths and weaknesses.
- Increased marker efficiency by streamlining processes and implementing time-saving techniques.
- Reduced production errors by carefully following guidelines and paying close attention to detail.
- Optimized marking procedures through regular equipment maintenance and calibration checks.
- Stayed current with industry trends, applying newfound knowledge for continued growth as a marker professional.
- Assisted in training new employees, ensuring a solid understanding of job responsibilities and company standards.
- Led tutoring workshops for groups of students with related tutoring needs.
- Conducted tutoring sessions at schools, homes and public spaces.
- Mentored and coached students with focus on developing independence and self-confidence.
- Collaborated with teachers, administrators and parents to determine how best to support student success.
- Collaborated with students to complete homework assignments, identify lagging skills, and correct weaknesses.
- Promoted active participation during tutoring sessions, inviting students to ask questions and engage in thoughtful discussions.
- Facilitated peer review workshops aimed at refining writing skills and promoting constructive feedback among classmates.
- Developed specific time management initiatives to help student develop study skills and efficiency.
- Communicated in-depth student progress feedback to parents.
Legal Consultant and Course Facilitator
ProBono.Org
Johannesburg, South Africa
03.2024 - Current
- Research on legal questions and the application of the Constitution as the supreme law of the country and legislation.
- I am a course facilitator supporting final LLB students volunteering at ProBono.Org ensuring smooth practical legal experience delivery.
- My responsibilities typically include:supporting Student Learning – Assisting students with understanding the course material, answering questions, and providing guidance.
- Facilitating Discussions – Leading or moderating classroom or online discussions to encourage student engagement.
- Assessing Student Work – Grading assignments, quizzes, and exams, and providing constructive feedback.
- Providing Administrative Support – Assisting with course logistics, such as scheduling, attendance tracking, and communication.
- Technical Support – Helping students navigate learning management systems (LMS) like Moodle.
- Acting as a Liaison – Serving as a bridge between students and the main instructor or university administration.
- Encouraging Academic Integrity – Ensuring students follow ethical academic practices, such as avoiding plagiarism.
- Competence in conserving legal practitioners’ and client’s time by verifying and routing correspondence, reports and legal documents
- Drafting of contracts, exposure to litigation and trial advocacy, dealing with family and child law cases, and becoming familiar with the rules and procedures of the Deeds and Master’s Offices
- Adoption of abandoned children and ensuring that children who are victims of human trafficking are provided with safe havens in South Africa and be re-united with their families if possible
- I attended human rights and children related awareness events provided by ProBono.Org and other external stakeholders
- I trained indigent members of the community to complete divorce summons and particulars of claim and explained the divorce process to them
- I managed to gain contacts at the Zimbabwean consulate, creating opportunity to work closely with the Zimbabwean government that is currently planning on providing satellite offices to assist with documentation in South Africa
- Training practical legal skills to legal interns and university graduates who will be volunteering
- I have an intermediate level of experience in marking at the tertiary level
- I have worked with LLB students who volunteer at ProBono.Org, where I assess their work, provide constructive feedback, and offer guidance to help them improve
Candidate Attorney and Assistant Researcher
Coetzee Attorneys
Roodepoort, Johannesburg
01.2019 - 02.2024
- Company Overview: The firm deals with a wide variety of law which includes, but is not limited to family law, civil litigation, criminal law, conveyancing, deceased estates and wills, immigration law, refugee law, and labour Law
- As a candidate legal practitioner, I also gained experience in civil litigation; criminal law practice; office administration; clientele liaison; labour law; team work; attending court to issue and file documents; attending court appearances in criminal, civil and domestic violence matters, as well as conducting trials in the said matters; bail applications (police and formal); drafting of briefs for counsel; consultation with clients; engaging with corresponding attorneys; drafting letters to and engaging with sheriffs; indexing and pagination of court documents; legal opinion drafting; drafting of pleadings, notices and affidavits; recording and invoicing my time on Legal Suite; and work prioritisation
- I have gained experience in transfer of properties from inception to finalisation and am well vested in conveyancing
- As such, I dealt with conveyancing finances which includes file and finances management
- I can finalise buyer and seller financial accounts; attend to estate agent commission, and provide proforma invoices to buyers regarding transfer costs
- Further, I am well vested with the Deeds Office procedure and arrangements of lodgments until registration of property
- I have very good computer skills which enabled me to provide estate agents with online training on the Property Practitioner Act, as well as property-related legislation and developments via Zoom and Microsoft Teams portals
- I served a two-year contract of articles attending different courts at least three times a week
- I understand all the court procedures and court etiquette
- I understand the ethical professional rules of the legal profession
- Further, in a working environment we are a team with different responsibilities and abilities
- I can fit well in a team by respecting my colleagues‘ perspectives and position within an organisation
- Hence, I served my current firm for five years
- The firm deals with a wide variety of law which includes, but is not limited to family law, civil litigation, criminal law, conveyancing, deceased estates and wills, immigration law, refugee law, and labour Law
- Conducted thorough research on various areas of law, ensuring accurate information and strong case foundations.
- Prepared essential legal documents for successful case outcomes and settlements.
- Managed multiple caseloads simultaneously without compromising quality or timeliness of work product.
- Kept abreast of developments in relevant legislation, ensuring that advice given was current and accurate at all times.
- Developed persuasive oral arguments that influenced judge''s decisions in favor of our clients during court appearances.
- Attended court proceedings, representing clients'' interests and protecting their rights effectively.
- Successfully negotiated settlements between disputing parties, avoiding costly litigation processes.
- Participated in community outreach programs, educating the public about their legal rights and promoting access to justice initiatives.
- Contributed towards business development activities by engaging prospective clients through networking events and presentations on pertinent legal topics.
- Streamlined internal processes within the firm for increased efficiency and improved service delivery standards.
- Researched, wrote and filed motions, writs and briefs for each case.
- Effectively communicated research findings both verbally and in written reports, presenting complex information clearly to varied audiences.
- Developed strong working relationships with colleagues, fostering a collaborative environment that promoted high-quality research output.
- Conducted extensive background research on project topics using various databases and resources to gather pertinent information and inform experimental designs.
- Contributed to the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles by providing accurate data analyses and well-written content sections.
- Assisted in the preparation of visually engaging presentations for conferences, showcasing research findings to academic and industry professionals alike.
- Boosted the quality of research findings through meticulous attention to detail and thorough review of data.
- Improved experiment reproducibility through meticulous record-keeping practices, enabling seamless continuation or replication by other researchers.
- Assisted in securing grant funding for vital research projects, contributing to well-crafted proposals and budget plans.
Legal intern
ProBono.Org
Braamfontein Johannesburg
02.2018 - 12.2018
- Attended court hearings, developing a deeper understanding of trial procedures and advocacy strategies.
- Performed legal and general research, drafting memoranda, and correspondence.
- Sorted legal documents, filing and case materials in clear, orderly systems.
- Managed case files efficiently, ensuring easy accessibility for attorneys when needed.
- Participated in client consultations, helping to address their concerns and provide valuable information regarding their cases.
- Supported the legal team in document review processes, identifying critical information pertinent to ongoing cases.
- Collaborated with fellow interns on group projects, fostering a positive team environment and enhancing productivity.
- Conducted extensive legal research for complex cases, resulting in favorable settlements.
- Shadowed experienced lawyers during client meetings, gaining valuable insight into attorney-client relationships and effective communication techniques.
- Attended depositions and court proceedings and prepared summaries on cases.
- Proofread legal documents before submission to courts or opposing counsel; reducing errors that could potentially harm our clients'' interests.
- Conducted thorough legal research for multiple high-stakes cases, contributing to well-informed strategy planning and case preparation.
- Engaged in community outreach programs, representing firm at public events and increasing community awareness of legal rights and resources.
- Conducted legal analysis to identify potential legal issues in client cases, providing foundation for more effective case strategy and risk management.
- Participated in legal clinics, providing pro bono services that enhanced access to legal assistance for underserved communities.
- Researched statutes, decisions, legal articles, and codes.
- Researched and analyzed legal issues and cases to provide accurate advice to clients.
- Interviewed clients to obtain information relevant to cases.
- Developed and delivered training sessions on legal research techniques to new interns, elevating overall efficiency of research team.
- Organized and maintained comprehensive legal library, ensuring attorneys had easy access to crucial resources and legal texts.
- Contributed to drafting of policies and procedures that enhanced firm's compliance with ethical standards and legal obligations.
Education
Masters - Corporate Law
UNISA
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - undefined
Unisa
JHB School of Legal Practice - undefined
Attorneys’ Admission Examination - undefined
Conveyancing - undefined
Notary - undefined
Divorce And Family Mediator
Social Justice Foundation
Cape Town, South Africa 04.2001 -
Skills
Child Law Expertise
Corporate Law Expertise
Commercial Law Expertise
Conveyancing Financial Management
End-to-End Conveyancing
Court Representation
Divorce Mediation
Antenuptial Contract Drafting
Contract Drafting
Preparation of Transfer Documents
Family Law Expertise
Refugee Law Proficiency
Corporate Legal Advisory
Advanced Legal Research
Corporate Governance Expertise
Legal Research and Writing
Legal Research
Analytical Report Development
Real Estate Regulations
Trial Preparation Support
Estate Planning Expertise
Immigration Legal Expertise
Litigation Preparation Skills
Collaborative Teamwork
Legal Research Expertise
Professional Case Analysis
Analytical Problem-Solving
Legal Document Drafting
Effective Multitasking
Legal Advisory Services
Innovative Problem Solving
Civil Litigation Experience
Effective Verbal Communication
Analytical Problem Solving
Strong Verbal Skills
Collaborative Teamwork
Corporate Legal Expertise
Legal Court Procedures
Strategic Networking
Detail-Oriented Approach
Effective Public Speaking
Strategic Development
Team Leadership
Client Advocacy
Workplace Professionalism
Legal Analysis and Application
Accomplishments
- Completed a full-time Practical Legal Training course, 12/01/17, Awarded with an outstanding award in commercial contracts.
- Awarded as best upcoming employee at Coetzee Attorneys, 12/01/21
- Passed all the Attorney’s Admission examinations at the first attempt, 12/01/17
- Passed both the conveyancing and notary admission examinations at the first attempt, 12/01/21
Personal Information
- Gender: Female
- Driving License: South African
Summary
A dedicated and results- driven individual, with a highly successful background in the achievement of academic growth. Experience in working for various researchers and students has helped me to be very innovative and creative in this competitive world. I possess excellent interpersonal and communicational skills, as well as the ability to develop and maintain mutually beneficial internal and external relationships. I enjoy being part of, as well as managing, motivating, and training, a successful and productive team, and I thrive in highly pressurised and challenging working environments. I would like to work in an organisation in which I can apply my knowledge and abilities in a practical way. I am highly motivated to accept responsibility and to develop myself professionally.
Community Service
- Vocational Bible School
- Campaign against Child Abuse
- Senior citizens home visitations
References
Pastor G. Van Niekerk
tel: +27-72-613-0366
email: gustav.vanniekerk@yahoo.com
Johannes Mpho Kgakwa Unisa
tel: +27-12-429-6040
email: kgakwjm@unisa.ac.za
Chandika Singh Lead
tel: 0117264011
email: chandika@issalead.org.za
Advocate Elsabe Steenhuisen, ProBono.Org
076 134 7928
email: elsabe@probono.co.za
Annerie Coetzee
Coetzee Attorneys
tel: +27-11-024-1970
082 941 9399
email annerie@coetzeeatt.co.za
Yulia Peacock Gurfinkel
063 503 9866
Timeline
Final LLB Student Tutor and Assignment Marker
ProBono.Org
03.2024 - Current
Legal Consultant and Course Facilitator
ProBono.Org
03.2024 - Current
Candidate Attorney and Assistant Researcher
Coetzee Attorneys
01.2019 - 02.2024
Legal intern
ProBono.Org
02.2018 - 12.2018
Divorce And Family Mediator
Social Justice Foundation
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) - undefined
Unisa
JHB School of Legal Practice - undefined
Attorneys’ Admission Examination - undefined
Conveyancing - undefined
Notary - undefined
Masters - Corporate Law
UNISA