ADV TRISH VAN DER NEST

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.

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)

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