I ASSUMED the position of dean of the University of Cape Town (UCT) faculty of law earlier in January, the school’s first dean who is black. In this capacity, as a woman, I am joining an ever-increasing number of women and people of colour who have the status of being "a first".I came of age as a lawyer in SA during the dark days of apartheid. I left SA during the 1980s, an inexperienced, concerned yet optimistic young lawyer. I return to SA with three years of experience as the first female president and dean of New York’s Albany Law School (founded in 1861), and decades of experience as a professor of law at law schools in the US, Australia and Canada.I am honoured by the position UCT’s law faculty has bestowed on me. I am especially excited by the opportunities the deanship affords me, esteemed colleagues, students, alumni and legal professionals in SA, to work together to improve our legal system and to join forces with others here to aid the country as it grapples with unmet an...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.