Minutes of the
Annual General Meeting
of the British South African Law Association
26 April 2006, 6:15pm

Present: Seamus Smyth (Carter Lemon Camerons)
Iqbal Meer (Meer Care Desai)
Lawrence Jacobson (5 Paper Buildings)
Katherine Lennon (Stewarts Solicitors)
Lee Evans (Farrars Buildings)
Lance Terry (Glanvilles)
George Gardiner (Gardiner & Co.)
David Greene (Edwin Coe)
Apologies: Dr Kimon de Ridder (BT plc)
Duncan Taylor (Nelsons)
Michael Polonsky (Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP)
Paul Burger (Wright Hassall)
Charmaine Hast (TWM Solicitors)
Owen Clutton (Macfarlanes)

 

 
1. Seamus Smyth welcomed everyone to the AGM, particularly those who had travelled far (Lance Terry). 
 
2. Seamus thanked the Committee for their efforts, particularly George Gardiner who is standing down as Secretary after 10 years on the Committee.
 
3. Chairman's Report:  The Association had been active in 2004, what with the Mr Justice Moseneke talk and the Annual Dinner at which Chief Justice Gubbay spoke; but 2005 had been a lot quieter.  There were two attempts to organise events, namely the cricket and golf outings but they did not attract sufficient support from the members.  The Association has continued to support Ms Arendse via SALEF.  Ms Arendse is in her final year at the University of the Western Cape studying law.  Events for this year include a talk by Tokyo Sexwale (which Iqbal Meer has kindly facilitated) and the annual dinner will be held in January/February 2007. 
 
4. Treasurer's Report:  In Kimon de Ridder's absence the accounts were presented and accepted.
 
5. Elections:  The following members were voted onto the Committee, as follows:
Chair:   Seamus Smyth  (Carter Lemon Camerons)
Vice-chair: Iqbal Meer  (Meer Care & Desai)
Treasurer: Dr Kimon de Ridder  (BT plc)
Secretary: Lance Terry  (Glanvilles Solicitors)
Projects Officer: The Honourable Mrs Justice L. Dobbs, DBE
Events/Social Co-ordinator: Katherine Lennon  (Stewarts Solicitors)
Committee Members:

Owen Clutton (Macfarlanes)
Michael Polonsky  (Berwin Leighton Paisner)
Lawrence Jacobson  (5 Paper Buildings)
Jonathan Schwarz  (3 Temple Gardens Tax Chambers)
Richard Timmis  (Blick & Co.)
George Gardiner (Gardiner & Co.)
 

6. Seamus asked Lee Evans to say a few words about Ms Arendse and SALEF.  Lee thanked the Association for funding Ms Arendse during the past three years and referred to her excellent academic results.  Ms Arendse is intending qualifying as an attorney.
 
7. AOB:  Iqbal Meer confirmed that George Bizos has agreed to appear as a speaker, possibly on the topic of reparation for apartheid crimes in October 2006.  Details of this will be finalised.
 
8. The meeting concluded at about 8pm.
 
Link to the accounts