THABO GIFT LEBEA

LEBEA INC. ATTORNEYS

Managing Director (1 April 2013 – Date)

• Attend to commercial law instructions; attend to draft commercial document and litigation matters.

• Attending to consult with clients and client’s instructions.

• Administer new files, manage and update files until finalizations of matters.

• Attending to draft necessary court documents such as Summons and Particulars of claim, pleadings generally, request for default judgment, bill of costs, writ of executions, pagination of files, including but not limited to entering appearance to defend and draft general correspondence.

• Consult with advocates for advice, legal opinion and settling court papers.

• Attending to the High Court and the Magistrate Court, for the sitting of Court.

Labour and Employment Practice

He specialises in large employment law matters. His expertise covers business transfers, retrenchment (dismissals for operational requirements), misconduct cases, sexual harassment, unfair labour practices, social media law and engagement and termination of executives.

He also specialises in the representation of clients in disciplinary hearings, CCMA arbitration and other tribunals. He further sits in various tribunals wherein he chairs disciplinary hearings and other dispute resolution mechanisms.

Amongst some of his services provided to clients in Labour and Employment Law, Thabo represented various employers, both in Public and Private Companies at various forums including the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), Labour Court, Labour Appeal Court and Supreme Court of Appeal. His expertise covers business transfers, retrenchment, Misconduct cases, Sexual Harassment, Unfair Labour Practices, social media Law and Engagement and Termination of Executives.

Thabo conducts seminars, presentations, training and workshops on various topics in his areas of expertise. He also gives talks / takes part in discussion panels across the country on these topics.

General Legal Advisory

Thabo’s engagement with various Government Entities has helped him broaden his knowledge and experience in knowledge of the PFMA and Local Government Law. He also conducts Seminars, Presentations, Training and Workshops on various topics in his area of expertise. He also gives talks and takes part in Panel Discussions across the country in various Legal topic.

Thabo has conducted various Forensic Investigations and provided legal opinions to clients on various areas of law.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Thabo is Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution. Thabo specialises in domestic and cross-border litigation, with expertise in arbitration and High Court litigation. Thabo has advised clients extensively in transactional disputes, shareholder and company law disputes, contractual claims and insolvency and business rescue issues. Thabo has successfully represented numerous clients, including banks, financial institutions, insurers, mining houses, pharmaceutical companies, construction companies, hotel groups and IT companies.

Corporate and Commercial Law

Thabo also specialises in Corporate and Commercial Law. He has been acting for domestic and multinational clients in diverse industries and sectors including- Local Government, Public Government, Advertising, Insurance and Aviation in both listed and unlisted corporate environments.

Thabo has extensive experience in structuring, negotiating and leading complex corporate transactions. In addition, Thabo also has experience in negotiating and drafting tailor-made commercial agreements.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: LABOUR COURT

Acting Law Researcher (1 May 2013 – 2014)

• Research and retrieve material for the library accessible to the Court physically and electronically.

• Proofreading and side checking of all draft judgments, citations and all quotations.

• Provide updating services to ensure the Judges are alerted to the impact of recent local and foreign policies on the previous judgment.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: LABOUR COURT

Judge’s Secretary (1 August 2012 – 30 April 2013)

• Attend to the siting of the court with the Judge.

• Attend to do research at the request of the Judge.

• Attend to ensure that the judge’ library is updated.

• Attend to arrange meetings for the Judge and make sure that all the visitors of the Judge are taken good care of.

• Attend to type judgment and all court orders for the judge.

• Attend to all secretariat work for the Judge.

• Attend to facilitate the public visits to the judge and liaise with firm of attorneys and advocates.

LEBEA & ASSOCIATES ATTORNEYS

Candidate Attorneys – Practicing Attorney, (January 2011 – 31 August 2012)

• Attend to commercial law instructions and litigation matters

• Attending to review applications, disciplinary hearings and the CCMA hearing matters

• Attending to consult with clients and client’s instructions.

• Rendering legal advice and Legal opinion.

• Attending to the bargaining council and the CCMA representing clients.

• Consulting with advocates for legal opinion, advice and settling of court papers.

• Attending to both High Court and Labour Court for general paperwork and filing.

• Liaising with opponent attorneys and negotiating settlement in civil matters, labour matters and commercial transactions.

• Attending to both High Court and Labour Court for the sitting of court and hearing of the matters

• Attending to liaise with different court officials, High Court, Labour Court and the Magistrate Court respectively.

SIM & BOTSI ATTORNEYS INC

Candidate Attorney – Practicing Attorney, (April 2010 -December 2021)

• Attend to commercial law instructions; attend to draft commercial document and litigation.

• Attending to consult with clients and client’s Instructions.

• Administer new files, manage, and update files until finalization.

• Consult with advocates for advice, legal opinion and settling court papers.

• Attending to the High Court and the Magistrate Court

LEGAL WISE: LEGAL DEPARTMENT

Legal counsellor, (March 2008 – March 2010)

• Render general legal advises to our clients, liaise with external attorneys and third parties.

• Enter Into out of court settlement negotiations and administer miscellaneous files.

• Handle all labour matters Including referring disputes to the CCMA.

• Handle civil cases and criminal matters.

• Draft of exparte applications and drafting of other legal document such as: – Wills, Lease agreement, general memorandum of understanding and acknowledgement of debt.

TRAINING / ADDITIONAL EDUCATION

Trial Advocacy (2009)

Attendant and completed a workshop on trial advocacy offered by L.E.A.D and facilitated by the members of Black lawyers’ association.

He grasped the technique and the essence of trial advocacy in the practice of law.

Negotiations Skills (2009)

• Preparing for negotiation

• How to stick to handle positioning bargaining

• Negotiation essentials

• Inventing options for mutual gain

• How to,apply interest negotiations

• Negotiation challenges

• Negotiation in business

• Ethics in negotiation

• Being the successful negotiator.

Introduction to BBBEE (2010)

Attended and completed one day training to a comprehensive introduction course to BBBEE and understand the applicable statutes that regulate the BBBEE within the Republic

Disciplinary Skills (2011)

Attended and successfully completed a Disciplinary Skills training offered by Lexis Nexis covering: –

• Prosecuting and initiating in a disciplinary enquiry;

• Chairing a disciplinary enquiry;

• Defending a party in a disciplinary enquiry;

Handling Discipline in the Work Place & etc

Commercial Law Programme (1) 2012 (Offered by Black Lawyers Association)

Thabo has been trained in the following disciplines of commercial law-

Regulation of takeover in terms of the new companies Act, Corporate governance; Shareholder agreement/Memorandum of incorporation & Operating agreement; Public private partnership; Sale Business; Commercial contract structure and drafting principles; Negotiation workshop; Consumer protection Act, Taxation of business, Intellectual property; Conveyancing of Immovable commercial property; Banking law, Aviation law; Public Private Partnership, Mining Law and public sector law.

NB: Black lawyers association (“the BLA”) would be running commercial law programme 2 sometime in October 2013 and according to the information obtained from the BLA it will be an advance programme in the field of commercial law, to which I will attend.

PRACTICES

• Corporate and Commercial Law
• Employment
• Litigation
• Dispute Resolution

DEVELOPED SKILLS

Thabo has the ability to conduct research on matters that are before Courts, CCMA, Bargaining Councils and other forums, matters for the disciplinary hearings and opinions using the following research methodologies: –

• Qualitative Methodology; and
• Quantitative Methodology.

Furthermore, I have experience to conduct research using the following search engines:

Juta stat, Sabinet, LexisNexis, Articles and Journals for example ILO Publications, SAFLII, Textbooks, Precedents and Legislation

AREAS OF FOCUS

Employment Practice

Forensic Investigations

Dispute Resolution

Commercial Litigation

EDUCATION

• Degree In Baccalaureus Legume (LLB) University of Venda (2006)
• School for Legal Practice (L.E.A.D) Milpark Johannesburg 2009 (Night1)(2009)
• Senior Certificate Mampeule Senior Secondary School (2001)

MEMBER OF LEGAL PRACTICE COUNCIL AND QUALIFICATIONS

South Africa