Honourable Justice Lebo Modiba
Honourable Justice Lebo Modiba is a Judge of the High Court of South Africa and currently serves as an Acting Deputy Judge President (ADJP) in the Gauteng Division, Johannesburg. Her judicial work spans complex civil, commercial and constitutional matters, reflecting extensive experience in the South African legal system. Justice Modiba has also contributed to important conversations on arbitration and dispute resolution, including discussions on the role of the courts in supporting arbitral processes while respecting party autonomy and arbitral finality.
Acting Deputy Judge President, High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Johannesburg
Advocate Pule Godwin Seleka SC
Advocate Pule Godwin Seleka SC, is a distinguished South African Senior Counsel with extensive experience in constitutional, administrative, commercial and labour law. He previously served as a clerk to former Constitutional Court Chief Justice Arthur Chaskalson and has also acted as a High Court and Labour Court judge. Adv. Seleka is currently the Chairperson of the Legal Practice Council (LPC), having been elected to the LPC National Council in 2024 and subsequently elected Chairperson of the Council’s Executive Committee.
Legal Practice Council, Chairperson
Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka
Advocate Gcaleka’s professional journey spans over two decades of service across
the criminal justice system, government, and oversight institutions. She began her
career as an aspirant prosecutor in 2004 and went on to serve as Senior Deputy
Director of Public Prosecutions at the National Prosecuting Authority. In that role, she
not only led prosecutions at the South Gauteng division but also specialised in tackling
crimes that often intersect with corruption and abuse of power
Public Protector of the Republic of South Africa
Phetheni Nkuna
Phetheni Nkuna is an admitted attorney (South Africa) with a focus on employment law. She is a Director in the Employment Law practice, and she is Chief Operating Officer, where she oversees several operational portfolios and works closely with the Chief Executive Officer to drive the firm's strategy. Phetheni holds LLB and LLM, Certificate in Advanced Labour Law, and a Post Graduate Diploma (MBA) degree from GIBS.
Chief Operating
Officer,CDH
Adela Petersen
Adela Petersen's expertise spans a broad range of legal disciplines, including administrative, constitutional, and public law, procurement, employment law, and energy law. Recognised for her leadership and contributions to the legal field, Adela was honoured as a TerraLex Trailblazer in 2024 and was shortlisted for the prestigious “Women Leaders in Law” category at the 2024 Law.com International’s African Legal Awards. She was named in the Best Lawyer publication for 2024.
Managing Director at Fairbridges
Charlene Louw
Ms Charlene Louw is the Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) and an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa. She holds an LLB from the University of Pretoria, an MBA, and executive qualifications in leadership and financial management.
With extensive executive experience across the legal, financial services, and corporate sectors, Charlene is recognised for her expertise in corporate governance, ethics, compliance, risk management, and business strategy.
Chief Executive Officer of the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA)
Raphael Segal
Raphael is the Founder of My AI Lawyer and Director at Legal Interact, where he is at the forefront of driving innovation at the intersection of law and technology. With a distinguished career spanning the legal, healthcare, and technology sectors, he has built a reputation for providing strategic leadership that enhances service delivery, operational efficiency, and customer experience. As a recognised thought leader in legal innovation, Raphael regularly contributes to discussions on the transformative impact of AI, automation, and digital transformation within the legal profession.
Director, Legal Interact
Christine Qunta
Christine Qunta is an attorney, corporate governance specialist, author, and transformation leader with over three decades of legal experience across South Africa, Australia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.
She is the Founder and CEO of Pholosang BEE Resolution Services (Pty) Ltd, providing strategic advisory services in legal, corporate governance, and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE). She was the lead consultant responsible for drafting the Defence Industry BEE Sector Code, gazetted in 2018.
Keynote Speaker | Chairperson of LSCC - Legal Sector Charter Council
Sarah McKenzie
Sarah is the Head of Webber Wentzel Dispute Resolution Department and she has represented parties in many domestic and international arbitrations (including under the auspices of the ICC, ICSID, AFSA, the Chinese Arbitration Association, as well as under the UNCITRAL and other ad hoc arbitration rules) and at various Courts in the South African court system (including the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal, and various divisions of the High Court).
Partner, Webber Wentzel
Candy Musekene
Candy Musekene is a South African qualified attorney with over 6 years of post-qualified experience, specialising in Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance, technology law, intellectual property, and digital platforms. As Legal Manager at MTN South Africa, I provide strategic legal counsel on emerging technologies, digital policy, and regulatory innovation, helping shape Africa’s digital transformation.
Legal Manager, MTN
Noémi Muya
Noémi Muya is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, a business leader, and a founder operating at the intersection of law, strategy, cross-border commerce, and women’s leadership. She has been named as Africa’s Top 30 Leading Women 2025 by Crest Africa and nominated for the Women in Law Excellence Award 2025 by Wone Global. Noémi is the Founder of For Women in Law (FWIL), a pan-African platform dedicated to mentoring, developing, and amplifying women in the legal profession.
Founder of For Women in Law (FWIL)
Subashnee Moodley
Subashnee is an Acting Judge of the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Durban (2026) and a respected leader within the legal profession. She serves as a Director at Woza Leadership NPC, the South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners, and KREATE, contributing to initiatives focused on leadership, transformation, and professional development. She is also an active member of several professional organisations, including the Black Lawyers Association (BLA), the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA), and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADEL).
Director, Livingston Leandy Inc
Professor Charles Maimela
Professor Charles Maimela is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg (UJ). He is a Professor of law in the areas of Medical law and African Customary law and has published extensively in these fields of law. He has also written on AI and the Law in how it shapes Curriculum Transformation of the teaching and research of Law in Universities today. Professor Maimela holds an LLB, LLM and LLD all from the University of South Africa (UNISA). He has taught at three South African Universities before joining UJ on 1 September 2025.
UJ Executive Dean of the Faculty of Law
Kume Luvhani
Kume Luvhani is a recognised leader in South Africa's technology sector, known for driving large-scale digital transformation, building high-performing teams and delivering solutions that create measurable business Value. She is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Vaxowave, a technology company partnering with global cloud
providers to deliver enterprise-scale solutions across industries. Since its inception in 2018, Vaxowave has achieved double-digit annual growth and was honoured with the Digital Transformation of the Year Award at the 2025 Nedbank Topco Empowerment Awards.
Co-Founder and Director at Vaxowave
Dr Nomalanga Mashinini
Dr. Nomalanga Mashinini is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Law at the School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where she was appointed in August 2022. Her research and teaching specialisation is image rights. She examines how social media and artificial intelligence drive the exploitation of people's identities, with particular attention to deepfakes, post-mortem personality rights, prompt injection attacks, sharenting, malicious communications, and AI regulation.
Her research dissemination extends to the podcast 'Image Rights by N Mashinini', a creative output that has reached listeners across 87 countries and 370 cities in its three seasons.
WITS Senior Lecturer | School of Law
Carina Wessels
Carina is a seasoned executive with experience in the mining and financial services industries. She is an admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, a fellow and past president of the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa, as well as past president of the Corporate Secretaries International Association.
In addition to acting in an advisory capacity, she has extensive non-executive director and audit committee member and chair experience serving in both public service and commercial companies over the past 23 years. She currently serves as NED for the Institute of Directors South Africa.
Alexforbes Chief GRC Officer and Executive: Impact Advisory
Michael Pryke
Michael Pryke is one of South Africa’s most experienced executive coaches. He is also a master facilitator, thought leader and international speaker on leadership thinking, leadership conversations and leadership behaviour.
He partners with Leaders and teams globally to build their capacity to navigate complex issues through the way they think, talk and work together.
Previously a Managing Director at FirstRand Group, Michael has become recognised for partnering with senior executives across all cultures to challenge current thinking, promote culture change and create conversational practices that build sustainable organisations.
Chief Executive Officer: EQ Impact
Hlengiwe Mtetwa
Hlengiwe Mtetwa is an attorney of the High Court of South Africa and digital transformation
champion with degrees in Community Development, Law, and Contract Law (LLM), complemented by advanced training in AI and business analysis. As Executive Director of RITE
Academy, she empowers youth in underserved communities by providing ICT skills training to
bridge the digital divide. Hlengiwe actively shapes AI and digital inclusion policies as a 2025 G20 South Africa Youth Summit delegate and is a prominent speaker on AI in legal practice, digital equity, and the future of work.
Admitted Attorney
Sanelisiwe Mbatha
Sanelisiwe Mbatha is an African honorary ward-winning lawyer, a distinguished attorney, legal entrepreneur, and community advocate whose work spans law, healthcare, and social justice. Her leadership excellence has earned her major recognition, including first runner-up for Woman of Honour at the 2025 Gauteng Legislature Vita Basadi Awards, the Best Chairperson Award from the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA), and an honorary winner in the FortyUnder40 Africa 2026 Awards under Medical Law Excellence.
Director of Saney Mbatha & Associates
Moleboge Lekwane
Moleboge Botlhale Lekwane is an admitted attorney with more than 20 years' experience
in corporate and commercial law, litigation, corporate finance, contract negotiation,
regulatory compliance and corporate governance. She holds an LLB from North-West
University and a Master of Philosophy in Applied Ethics, specialising in Business Ethics.
She began her legal career at Bowmans, where she completed her articles, before gaining
commercial-law and litigation experience in private practice at Mkhabela Huntley
Attorneys.
Committee member of the Social and Ethics | NEF Board of Trustees
Bertha Shabangu
Bertha Shabangu holds an LLB and LLM in Labour Law and is an admitted Attorney, Notary Public of the High Court of South Africa, and accredited Mediator. With over 18 years of legal experience, she is widely recognised for her expertise in employment and labour law. Her career has included senior roles at the South African Medical Association (SAMA) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ). She currently serves as Director: Employee Relations at the Tshwane University of Technology and is a part-time Industrial Relations Lecturer at UJ.
LLB, LLM( Labour Law), Admitted Attorney, Notary Public
Dr. Chantelle Feldhaus
Dr Chantelle Feldhaus holds LLB, LLM degrees and is enrolled for an LLD. After being admitted as an attorney of the High Court in 2004, she joined the North-West University Law Faculty in 2005. She currently lectures family law at the undergraduate level and is the programme director for the master’s degree in international child law. In addition to her undergraduate teaching and postgraduate administrative responsibilities, she lectures a postgraduate module on international juvenile justice. She is actively involved in community projects which includes, amongst others, children’s rights.
Lecturer/Attorney NWU
Advocate Surprise Hlako
Advocate Suprise Hlako is renowned for incisive legal analysis, strategic foresight, and exceptional mastery of legal research. He brings intellectual precision, tactical expertise, and a deep commitment to jurisprudential integrity, procedural excellence, and client-focused advocacy to every matter he undertakes. With a strong ability to navigate complex legal issues, develop innovative strategies, and deliver persuasive submissions, Advocate Hlako is recognised for transforming intricate legal challenges into clear, practical solutions.
Advocate | Legal Analyst & Researcher
Lynton Naicker
Lynton Naicker is the Co-Founder and CEO of Anvaya, the South African AI Legal Assistant helping reshape the future of legal practice through
artificial intelligence.
With over 15 years of experience at the intersection of financial
services, business transformation, and technology, Lynton has led
large-scale digital transformation initiatives for some of South
Africa's leading financial institutions. His entrepreneurial journey has
earned recognition from organisations including Startupbootcamp AfriTech
and Dubai FinTech and the UK Global Entrepreneurship Programme.
Co-Founder and CEO | Anvaya South African AI Legal Assistant
Advocate Malani Papiah
Malani Papiah is an admitted advocate of the High Court of South Africa and a member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates, practicing from the Protea Group of Advocates in Sandton. She holds an LLB degree with Cum Laude distinction and is currently pursuing a Master of Laws degree in Tax Law.
As a general legal practitioner, Malani offers comprehensive legal services across a range of fields, including tax law, commercial litigation, insolvency law, family law, and alternative dispute resolution.
Advocate of the High Court of South Africa
Anphia Davies
Anphia Davies is a Director at Van Ellinckhuijzen Davies Incorporated, where she has built a distinguished 19-year career specialising in Insurance Law. Throughout her practice, she has developed a particular expertise in bulk litigation environments, with a longstanding focus on designing systems and methods that enhance productivity and accuracy in high-volume legal work.
Over the past 18 months, Anphia has channelled this passion for innovation into the field of artificial intelligence. She now consults with colleagues across the profession on AI tools to streamline legal workflows, and designs and codes bespoke systems herself.
Director | Van Ellinckhuijzen Davies Incorporated
Seema Rugbeer
Seema Rugbeer is the General Legal Counsel at Primedia Out of Home, one of South Africa's leading media owners, where she has spent more than a decade working at the forefront of digital transformation, AI and emerging technologies, supporting the business across South Africa and the broader African market as the media landscape continues to evolve.
An admitted attorney with over 16 years' post-admission experience, Seema began her legal career as a litigation attorney before transitioning into corporate law.
General Legal Counsel | Primedia Out of Home
Prof Lindelwa Mhlongo
Prof Lindelwa Mhlongo is an expert in International Investment Law and International Economic Law. Prof Mhlongo has more than 10 years of experience in academia. She is the Manager of Strategic Projects in the Executive Dean’s Office, College of Law, University of South Africa. Her work experience includes being the acting Head of the Department of Public, Constitutional and International Law at the same University. She is an admitted advocate of the High Court of South Africa. She holds an LLD Degree in International Economic Law. The title of her thesis was “Africanisation and Reformation of the African International Investment Landscape: Towards a New Continental Investment Agreement”.
Associate Professor of International Investment Law - Manager of Strategic Projects, UNISA
Mpumelelo Mazibuko
Mpumelelo Mazibuko is an accomplished commercial legal professional with over two decades of experience in intellectual property, commercial litigation and corporate law. He served as Legal Manager for the Rights Protection Programme at the 2009 Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, working in South Africa and Switzerland.
He is currently a Partner at Mazibuko-Mbuyisa Attorneys and Director at Mazisa Advisory Services, advising on IP commercialisation and commercial matters.
Partner at Mazibuko-Mbuyisa Attorneys | Director at Mazisa Advisory Services (Pty)Ltd.
Thobeka Dube
Thobeka Dube is an admitted Attorney, Notary and Conveyancer with experience across listed, multinational, and institutional environments, holding an LLB and an LLM in Business Law from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is also RE5 qualified under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Act.
Admitted Attorney, Notary and Conveyancer
Siphesihle Ndaba
Siphesihle Ndaba is an international award-winning wellness pioneer and speaker, holding two law degrees with a focus on environmental and mining law and the intersection of wellness, sustainability and legal systems. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Mageba Wellness, an award-nominated wellness brand that has facilitated over 600 wellness classes across corporates, schools, studios and government departments. An internationally certified Yoga and Pilates instructor, Siphesihle has become a recognised voice in wellness advocacy, speaking across leading media and corporate platforms.
Executive Director at Mageba Wellness
| International Award-Winning Wellness Pioneer
