team

Zenobia obtained her B.A LLB from the University of Stellenbosch and was admitted as an Attorney in April 1982 and practiced as such to date.

She is a director of Miller du Toit Cloete Inc and has worked exclusively in family law, human rights and related constitutional law and commercial law issues from 1 April 1998 onwards.

Zenobia deals with matters from various jurisdictions.

She has presented various workshops and talks regarding family law matters, developing family law and gender equality, children’s rights and constitutional law aspects relating to family law.

She comments regularly on draft Bills relating to family law to Government, the Law Commission and to the relevant institutions in South Africa, inter alia relating to AAART, Children’s rights and responsibilities, matrimonial property law, ADR, civil union, cohabitation, muslim law, religious laws relating to family law, traditional law relating to family law matters, domestic violence, same sex unions, etc.

Sam is a director at our firm and has been with Miller du Toit since 2011 after she qualified with a LL B and LL M (cum laude) from the University of the Western Cape.

She is an admitted attorney of the Western Cape High Court and has practiced as a specialised family law attorney since admission.

In addition to her vast experience in both Regional and High Court litigation (including attending to the appearances herself), Sam has a keen interest in and practical understanding of artificial reproductive technologies (“ART)” and the ever evolving legal conundrums that flow therefrom. Her experience in this regard includes but is not limited to the drafting and implementation of South African and cross-border surrogacy agreements as well as embryo donation.

She remains an ardent researcher and in addition to having written and presented many papers at our annual conference (of which she also assists in organising), she has also co-written and presented papers with Zenobia du Toit and Advocate Julia Anderssen of the Cape Bar. After their paper was published, Sam and Advocate Anderssen then presented their paper at a training workshop attended by Regional Court Magistrates in 2012.

Her paper titled “A synopsis of surrogacy agreements in South Africa” was published in the 2015 International Association of Family Lawyers Annual and her paper short titled” The importance of the genetic link” was published in the 2015 International Bar Association’s Annual Committee Newspaper.

Sam has also travelled extensively, both nationally and internationally, to attend conferences/workshops hosted by, including but not limited to, the International Surrogacy Forum, The Department of Social Development, the International Bar Association (of which she is a member) and the International Association of Family Lawyers.

samantha@mdtcinc.co.za

Liesl graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with an LL B degree in 2005.  During University she developed a special interest in and passion for Family Law.  Liesl completed the Practical Legal Training Course presented by UNISA, in conjunction with her articles which she commenced with Miller du Toit Cloete Inc in 2006. Liesl was admitted as an attorney of the Western Cape High Court in 2007.

Liesl co-presented a paper titled “African Charter on the Rights of Children” at the London Metropolitan University Summer School in 2011 and received her Certificate of Completion in this regard.

Liesl has practiced as a Senior Associate at Miller du Toit Cloete Inc and has over 12 years’ exclusive experience exclusively in Family Law and ancillary matters and currently runs the Paarl Office.

liesl@mdtcinc.co.za

Christel qualified with a B. Proc in 1999 and a  LL B in 2000 (both from the University of the Free State). She articled from 2001-2003 and was admitted as an attorney in 2003 in Bloemfontein and obtained her right of appearance in the Western Cape High Court in 2005.

Christel has practised as a specialist family law attorney since 2010.

christel@mdtcinc.co.za

Lorinda is a Director at our firm and qualified with an LL B in 2005 from the University of Stellenbosch.

She was admitted as an attorney and obtained her right of appearance of the Western Cape High Court in December 2007.  Lorinda has also completed her South African Family Arbitration Training in 2016.

Previously having worked in a general litigation environment, and more specifically collections, Lorinda decided to change directions in 2015 when she joined the Miller du Toit team and has been practicing as a specialist family law attorney since then.

lorinda@mdtcinc.co.za

Lorinda is a member of the International Bar Association.

Yumna obtained her LLB degree in 1995 from the University of Cape Town. She is in the process of completing her LLM Degree at the University of the Western Cape, which she hopes to obtain at the end of 2021. 

She was admitted as an attorney of the Western Cape High Court in 1997. In 2004 she was admitted as a conveyancer. She joined Miller du Toit Cloete Inc in 2004 and has since specialized in family law.

Yumna has completed mediation training through FAMAC and participated in additional mediation training to hone her mediation skills.  

She has attended various international law conferences and presented papers internationally, including A Commentary on the draft Namibian Child Care and Protection Act (Windhoek, Namibia 2009) and Ante Nuptial contracts at the LAWASIA conference (Penang, Malaysia 2012).

yumna@mdtcinc.co.za

Lisa joined our firm in 2022.

Prior to joining our firm, Lisa built up extensive experience in forensic accounting having worked in the industry for 10 years whereafter she became a practising member of the Bar.

Lisa obtained her LL B in 2014 from the University of South Africa.

Nicola obtained her BCom LLB degrees from the University of Stellenbosch and was admitted as an attorney of the High Court in February 2014.

She worked in the commercial dispute resolution division of a large leading law firm for several years. In 2017, she shifted her focus to family law and thereafter proceeded to head up the family law department at a reputable law firm until 2022. After having practiced in Johannesburg for over eight years, she relocated back to Stellenbosch and recently joined the Miller du Toit team. 

Nicola was a member of the Gauteng Family Law Forum, has completed various courses such as divorce mediation, trusts & divorces and regularly attends topical conferences / seminars. 

She has a particular interest in trusts in a divorce context, complex accrual claims and the patrimonial consequences of marital relationships. 

nicola@mdtcinc.co.za 

Samantha Leite is an admitted Attorney and Notary of the High Court of South Africa who graduated with an LLB degree from Stellenbosch University in 2020. Samantha joined our firm as an associate in February 2023, possesses a high work ethic and we look forward to her developing her expertise in and applying her passion for family law with us.