High School North West
Resume:
PERSONAL DETAILS
SURNAME : Van Niekerk
NAME : Christél
IDENTITY NUMBER : 930-***-**** 088
DATE OF BIRTH : 31 March 1993
MARITAL STATUS : Single
DEPENDANTS : None
LANGUAGES : English and Afrikaans
DRIVERS LICENCE : Code 08 – Own Transport
CONTACT DETAILS : Cell - 083-***-****
: Email – ********@******.**.**
Accomplished and confident attorney with experience gained in a variety of fields of law over a period of over 5 years post admission (2 years middle management). A strong candidate for an attorney, legal advisor or assistant company secretarial position. I have an analytical, strategic and solution-orientated mind set, a hands-on leadership style that seeks to empower the team, and strong alignment with the achievement of the company’s objectives. Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure. Aspires career growth.
Values honesty, reliability, ethics, resilience, transparency and a well-established company structure & culture.
EDUCATION
SECONDARY EDUCATION
HIGH SCHOOL : Hoërskool Bergvlam, Nelspruit
YEAR MATRICULATED : 2011
SUBJECTS : English (distinction)
: Afrikaans (distinction)
: Mathematics
: Physical Sciences
: Business Economics (distinction)
: Biology
: Life Orientation (distinction)
CURRICULUM VITAE
Christél van Niekerk
TERTIARY QUALIFICATION(S): BCom (Law) Degree (North West University 2012 - 2014)
: LLB Degree (North West University 2015 - 2016)
COMPUTER LITERACY : Windows. MS Word, Excel
: In-house programmes (Legal Suite, Ghost Practice) EXPERIENCE & PERSONAL COMPETENCIES
: Admitted as Attorney (Pretoria High Court, May 2019)
: Right of Appearance, High Court
: Good track record of successfully arguing opposed motions in High Court
: Exceptional case law research ability
: Fluent in English and Afrikaans (both verbal and writing)
: Excellent client relationships
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
CURRENT EMPLOYER : Olodum Consulting (Pty) Ltd
DURATION: : 4 March 2024 – Current
POSITION HELD : Sole Director
NATURE OF BUSINESS : Legal consultancy
RESPONSIBILITIES
Advisory services to private company, a procurement and import company which imports steel from global suppliers/manufacturers and selling to local buyers. Key services include:
- Advise in respect of negotiating and conclusion of agreements;
- Drafting of agreements;
- Assist in contract negotiation;
- Conduct due diligence of suppliers;
- Acting as introducer to bank in Hong Kong;
- Liaising with attorneys in China in respect of claims on behalf of client;
- Drafting of AML/compliance policies in order to act as introducer to international banks;
- Advise in respect of which suppliers and buyers to deal with in order to mitigate risks;
- Company secretarial duties, including beneficial ownership, filing of financial statements on CIPC, company registration and director amendments;
- Reviewing and amendment of MOI;
- Risk assessment;
- Advise and assist in respect of drafting CSR-policy;
- Advise and assist in drafting Vision & Mission statement for a new established company (Zhouyi Limited);
- Legal research in respect of international laws and regulations;
- Drafting of shareholders agreements, NDA’s and supply agreements.
Act as administrator for the South African division of a Japanese import and export company, including assisting with CIPC compliance and liaising with external service providers on its behalf.
General litigation and legal advisory services.
CURRENT EMPLOYER : WN Attorneys Incorporated
DURATION : 6 March 2023 – 3 March 2024 (permanent position)
: 4 March 2024 – Current (permanent contractor)
POSITION HELD : Attorney/ legal advisor. Report to: Director NATURE OF BUSINESS : Law Firm
RESPONSIBILITIES
• General litigation and legal advisory services;
• Company secretarial services, including beneficial ownership, filing of financial statements on CIPC, company registration and director amendments;
• AML/Compliance in respect of a law firm as a responsible institution in terms of FICA and POPIA;
• Insolvency law and commercial law:
- Knowledge and interpretation of Company Acts of South Africa;
- Provide advice in respect of insolvency matters;
- Provide advice in respect of Company Acts and commercial matters;
- Drafting heads of argument and appearance in High Court, Johannesburg, in respect of liquidation application brought against client/private company, Expert Machining and Engineering (respondent) based on deadlock between shareholders;
- Drafting of heads of argument and appearance in High Court, Johannesburg, in respect of liquidation application brought against client/private company, brought in terms of Section 345;
- Assist director in insolvency matters in respect of Director’s high profile client;
• Structure, drafting and reviewing of commercial contracts incl. international contracts; partnership-, agency-; company purchase-; shareholder-; non- disclosure-; and non-circumvention agreements;
• Appearance in High Court and Magistrate’s Court (opposed motions);
• Often travelling to appear in Cape Town High Court;
• Compiling invoices and account statements;
• Legal research;
• Liaising with external Counsel;
• Responsible for ensuring accounts are timeously sent to clients;
• Responsible for ensuring efficient funds on trust and payment of advocates’/correspondents’ accounts timeously;
• Pro bono: SOS Children’s Village.
PRIVATE COMPANY : Vutomi Energy (Pty) Ltd
DURATION : Newly established company (providing services/ assistance on an ad hoc basis until date of permanent employment to be confirmed in 2025)
NATURE OF BUSINESS: : Energy sector
POSITION : Company Secretary. Report to CEO and commercial manager.
CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Attend board meetings;
Draft minutes of meeting, inclusive of resolutions, and distribute to board members within 3 working days as per company policy;
Assist with structuring of company profile.
PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS
EMPLOYER : Adendorff Theron Inc
DURATION : March 2021 – March 2023
NATURE OF BUSINESS : Law Firm
POSITION : Medical Negligence Attorney. Report to head of litigation/partner.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Main Clients - Department of Health and Department of Education, (Mpumalanga)
Medical Negligence;
COIDA (Reportable Judgment: RR Prinsloo v MEC for Education – No appeal lodged);
Legal research (exceptional case law research ability);
Liaise with and brief senior counsel;
Pro bono – Children’s Court.
EMPLOYER : Seymore Du Toit & Basson Attorneys
DURATION : August 2019 – March 2021
NATURE OF BUSINESS : Law Firm
POSITION : Litigation Attorney. Report to head of litigation. RESPONSIBILITIES
General litigation, High Court and Magistrate Court;
Drafting, reviewing and advising of various commercial contracts;
Head of Correspondent Department – litigation department;
Manage secretary in litigation department;
Oversee and manage candidate attorneys in litigation department;
Liaise with and brief senior and junior counsel;
Responsible for ensuring accounts are timeously sent to clients;
Responsible for ensuring efficient funds on trust and payment of advocates’/correspondents’ accounts timeously;
Numerous urgent applications;
Established close relationship with director of private company, Vipcon (Pty) Ltd, a developer and attend meetings and provide advice in respect of agreements pertaining to land and financing (as far as possible) and National Credit Act. EMPLOYER : BMV Attorneys
DURATION : November 2017 – June 2019
NATURE OF BUSINESS : Law Firm
POSITION : Litigation Attorney
RESPONSIBILITIES
Completed articles (worked directly with director who was previously on roll of advocates).
Assist with litigation, High Court;
Drafting of applications and pleadings, High Court (settled by director);
Contract drafting
Appearance, Magistrate Court.
EMPLOYER : Pieter Swanepoel Attorneys
DURATION : January 2017 – November 2017
NATURE OF BUSINESS : Law Firm
POSITION : Candidate Attorney
RESPONSIBILITIES
Commenced articles in 2017 – November 2017 (ceded articles to BMV Attorneys)
General litigation.
Appearance, Magistrate Court;
Correspondent work, High Court (incl. BMV Attorneys);
Legal research.
CURRENT STUDIES
Enrolled with Chartered Governance Institute of South Africa (CGISA) in pursuance of Company Secretary – qualification (estimated completion to be December 2025) Subjects completed: Risk and Compliance; Development of Strategy. HOBBIES
Fitness
Fashion
REFERENCES
Walter Niedinger – Sole director at WN Attorneys Inc.; cell: 082-***-****; email: *******@****.**.**
Dricus Raath : Director and partner at Adendorff Theron Inc. & head of litigation; cell: 084-***-****
Adv. DH Wijnbeek (Acting judge): Counsel briefed: email: **********@***.**.**; cell: 082-***-****
Adv. Mark Coetsee: Counsel briefed; cell: 082-***-****.
Contact this candidate