Manager Customer Service

CAROL ADLAM

Telephone +27-11-420-**** Mobile +27-83-324-****

E-mail: *****.*.*****@*****.***

Career Objectives

To transition into a sole as a solicitor with a firm that will provide an opportunity to qualify and to

practice as a solicitor

Career Profile

A qualified and admitted Attorney, Notary and Conveyancer in South Africa with over 16 years

experience, including:

• 1 year 3 months as managing director of own legal firm.

• 10 years as senior associate and director of mid tier law firm specialising in commercial and

property law as head of Commercial Department, Residential Development Department as well

as managing IT Department, Human Resources Department and Office Manager.

• 3 years as associate of small law firm specialising in commercial litigation and property law and

managing both the Property and Litigation Departments.

Qualifications

Magister Legum (LLM) specialising in Tax Law – University of South Africa 2004

Diploma in Insolvency Law– University of Pretoria, South Africa 2000

Baccalaureus Legum (LLB) - University of Johannesburg (previously RAU) South Africa 1998

Baccalaureus Procurationis (B. Proc) – University of Johannesburg (previously RAU) South Africa 1995

Key Competencies

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

• Strong project management skills resulting in the successful management of numerous projects

varying in size and complexity simultaneously.

• Outstanding organisational and administrative skills with thorough attention to detail and ability

to develop and implement internal procedures to timely meet deadlines and satisfy client’s

expectations.

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• Exceptional ability to accurately calculate resources required to successfully complete project and

effectively manage such resources within budget constraints.

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIENTATION

• Highly experience and proficient in managing large portfolio of corporate clients resulting in

securing return business as well as recommendations from clients.

• Very skilled in ascertaining client’s needs and requirements and regularly exceed their

expectations.

CASE MANAGEMENT AND NEGOTIATIONS

• Very effective negotiator, capable of assessing and expressing client’s needs and requirements and

reaching favourable consensus for client with opposing party.

• Highly proficient at successfully managing large case loads and meeting very tight deadlines

consistently.

• Highly skilled in researching, analysing and applying information and effectively present legal

argument in a concise and logical manner.

LEADERSHIP & TEAM BUILDING

• Exceptional ability to select, motivate and lead staff to ensure a positive work environment

resulting in successful and timely completion of projects and greater staff retention.

• Collaborate leadership ability focusing on encouragement, support, mutual trust and respect.

MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Commercially focused and able to identify, research and secure new business leads.

• Excellent ability to identify marketing opportunity and realising it.

• Proven ability to start new business or new department and turn it into a profitable venture in a

very short time span.

Career History

Adlam Attorneys - Managing Director August 2012 to

Current

Responsibilities

• Actively market the firm and its services to clients and/or prospective clients within the

parameters set by the Law Society and secure new work for the firm.

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• Conceptualise the firm’s website and its corporate image and the promotion thereof.

• Negotiate and enter into agreements with service providers on behalf of the firm.

• Prepare the firm’s financial statements and reports required by the firm’s auditors to compile

the annual audited financial statements of account for the business as well as the trust bank

account as required by the Law Society.

• Ensure profitability of firm and determine the budget.

• Negotiate fees and fee structures with clients or potential clients and to take up or refuse

potential legal work or terminate mandates with clients.

• Manage all aspects of the day to day running of the business.

• Manage case load and prepare detailed statements and invoices for clients.

Achievements

• Continuously rendered a profit turnover since inception of the firm to date.

Career Break (family responsibilities) November 2011 to August 2012

EKV INC – Associate, Senior Associate & Director November 2001 to October 2011

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams consisting of architects, engineers and town planners in respect of

property development projects.

• Establish and manage the Commercial Department which department handles all commercial

legal work including the drafting, reviewing and scrutinising of legal documentation, setting up

of trusts and companies, legal opinions, etc.

• Establish and manage the Residential Property Development Department which department

attends to all residential property development projects from negotiating initial acquisition and

funding of a property to effective erecting of buildings, installation of services and transfer of

units to end users.

• Negotiate fees and fee structures with clients or potential clients and to take up or refuse

potential legal work or terminate mandates with clients.

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• Appoint staff according to operational requirements and give written or verbal warnings to

staff members or instruct the Human Resources Manager to attend to same.

• Prepare or oversee the preparation of reports, budgets and forecasts for clients and/or the

Board of Directors of the firm and/or financial institutions.

• Attend conferences and workshops on behalf of the company.

• Member of the senior management of the company and as such provide overall leadership and

direction to the company and further direct policy and organization objectives of the company.

• Determine the annual budget of the company in conjunction with the Board of Directors.

• Authorise the utilisation of funds to implement policies, training programs or to secure assets.

• Oversee Office Manager, Assistant Office Manager and IT Manager.

• Secure new work for the company by actively following new business leads and marketing the

firm.

• Work toward monthly fee targets.

Achievements

• Successfully completed in excess of 60 property projects of various size and complexity.

• Established and built two departments that led to a record monthly turnover for the firm in

excess of $300 000.00.

• Successfully managed turnaround times and service levels to secure the firm as one of the top

10 firms on the four major banks’ panel of attorneys.

• Attended to the transfer of Griffon Holdings’s entire commercial property portfolio (which

included the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Building) to the Government Employees Pension

Fund valued in excess of $127 200 000.00.

• Drafted legal documents between client and Manchester United Soccer Club for the

establishment of a Soccer School in Southdowns, South Africa.

VINING CAMERER INC –associate February 1999 to October

2001

Responsibilities

• Overseeing the day to day running of the firm in the absence of the Managing Director

• Assessing and implementing Service Level Agreements enforced by registered banks in order

to be admitted to and qualify to remain on their panel of attorneys.

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• Attend to all aspects of commercial litigation including compile opinions for clients and

brief advocates.

JONES KRUGER – associate August 1998 to

January 1999

CARE ASSIST – senior legal advisor and legal advisor November 1997 to

July 1998

STEVEN SILVERMAN – attorney (temp) May 1997 to

September 1997

VINING CAMERER INC – candidate attorney April 1996 to

May 1997

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP

Member of the Law Society of the Northern Provinces

REFEREES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

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