ADV TRISH VAN DER NEST
Part Time Lecturer in Law
BA LLB (UCT); Di HOM (UK); FBIH; MSc Bioethics & Health Law (Wits)
Email:
vandernest@worldonline.co.za
PATRICIA LEIGH (MARLOW) van der NEST (Trish)
Date of Birth: 1963/09/01 (Id No 630901 0045 085)
Interests: sculpting, cycling, horse riding, cooking, health matters
Work Experience
Jun 2013 – date Trish van der Nest Divorce Mediation Practice
- Convene meetings with divorce parties to assist in getting to agreement on issues regarding children, finances, division of assets in a Memorandum of Understanding
- This serves as part of the divorce settlement and reduces the need for costly litigation and reduces the final cost of the divorce
- Endeavour to enhance relationships to get to a more positive outcome and prepare future ground for negotiations and improved family relationships
- Intervention spans 3-5 sessions generally and children and all related parties benefit
- Utilizing industry knowledge, backed by an MSc Bio-Ethics & Health Law degree, support clients in medico-legal and medical negligence disputes
Jun 2013 – date The Family Life Centre, Divorce Mediation (NGO, Pro Bono)
- Provide legal advice re children, marriage and divorce underpinned by Family Law
- Cases include non-payment of maintenance, contact, protection orders (men and women) advice on process of divorce, abusive relationships
- Aim to resolve issues via mediation to reduce legal cost
- Refer cases worth rescuing to FAMSA for counselling to save marriages with potential
1990 - 2010 The Women’s Legal Status Committee, Part-time Pro Bono Legal Officer
- Lobbied for changes to legislation affecting women e.g. Matrimonial Property Act, Divorce Act
- Ran helpline as only legal person on the committee and dispensed legal advice on personal and family issues
- Name change to The Women’s Lobby in 1991, ground breaking work continued, raising the legal status of women
- Organisation was so successful, a book titled "Ahead of their time" A History of the Women's Legal Status Committee by Doris Ravenhill and Babette Kabak” was published
1994, 1995 – Varsity College, Part-time Lecturer
- Lectured UNISA first year students in Law of Persons & Family and Private Law 1
Jun 1991 – Dec 1992 Family Advocates Office, Johannesburg, Advocate
- One of 1st Family Advocates, represented children in divorces, employed by the State
- Worked with family counsellors, interviewed families, visited homes, wrote reports after evaluating counsellor’s report
- Made recommendations to the court as to who should get custody, appeared in court to assist judge (3rd party appearance)
Jan 1989 – May 1991 Johannesburg Bar, Advocate
- Handled Criminal Law cases including acting in several death penalty cases (pro deo cases)
- Dealt with public interest cases including public safety and terrorism
- Worked in magistrate’s court doing labour law (employment issues); criminal cases: (theft, assault, drug dealing); civil law: (disputes on contracts)
Jan 1988 – Dec 1988 Rothlisberger & Wolfe Attorneys, Articled Clerk, Pupillage
Jun 2010 – Jun 2014 Trish van der Nest Homeopathy
- Established mornings-based own practice, treating chronic conditions on digestive system, skin and stress-related issues
- Incorporated Iridology as diagnostic tool in this practice and in rural clinic in Klerksdorp treating AIDS-related issues and side effects of cancer
- Studied the chemistry of Tissue Salts and this added knowledge improved patients’ treatment protocols.
Education
TERTIARY EDUCATION
2015 MSc Bio-Ethics & Health Law, University of the Witwatersrand
1997 LLM, University of the Witwatersrand, ( course work only completed)
1988 Admitted as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa
1987 LLB, University of Cape Town
1985 BA LLB, University of Cape Town (Dean’s merit list, Legal Aid Committee, Shawco)
Additional Courses
2013 Mediation Course, FAMAC
2012 Diploma in Biochemic Practice, Asia-Pacific Scheussler Institute
2010 Diploma in Iridology, SA Iridology Institute
2010 Diploma in Homeopathy (5 years part-time) British Institute of Homeopaths
Conferences Attended
2013/14/15/16 SAAM Mediation Conference, Johannesburg
2013/14/15/16 FAMAC Mediation Conference, Cape Town
2014/2016 Annual Family Law Conference
20-21July 2016: Court Annexed Mediation: Successes, Challenges and Possibilities
Other Scholarly Contributions:
Conferences attended:
- Ikaria, Greece July 2009: Louis Klein, 5 day seminar
- Oxford University: Lou Klein: New remedies November 2011