Law Society of Zimbabwe

Mission

The LSZ is dedicated to effectively and efficiently representing and regulating the legal profession to promote the sustainable development of the legal profession, the observance of the rule of law, and foster public trust and confidence in the justice system

Core Values

The LSZ Council and all members of its management and staff are united by the core values that they each uphold, as individuals and as a team. The organizational culture at the LSZ is shaped by these shared core values. These core values are

• Professionalism – The LSZ team is competent and efficient. We are highly responsive to the needs of our stakeholders, who we serve with pride.
• Leadership - We take our obligations as custodians of the law seriously.
• Independence - In the exercise of our independence, we have the courage and fortitude to resist all forms of undue external influence.
• Transparency – We pride ourselves on our integrity and honesty, and uphold the principle that all people should be held accountable for their actions.
• Equity - We uphold the principles of equity, fairness, and impartiality in the discharge of our duties.

Background and Duties

The Law Society of Zimbabwe was formed in 1981 to replace the previous bar association. The membership of is drawn from all registered legal practitioners residing in Zimbabwe whether in private practice, in commerce or in civil service. The primary duties of the law society are:

• Promote the study of the law
• To contribute, undertake or make recommendations on legal training
• Control of admission of new members to the profession
• Maintain a register of members
• Regulate the profession in respect of continuing training, discipline and trust accounts
• Represent the profession and articulate its views on various issues
• Promote justice, defend human rights, rule of law and the independence of judiciary
• And generally control and manage the legal profession

Events

Obey Shava assault condemnation

On Wednesday, 5 July 2023, Obey Shava, was attacked in Belvedere, Harare. He was assaulted, his legs broken, and left, by at least four unknown assailants, driving in a green Mercedes Benz sedan and a Toyota GD6. His cell phone was stolen. It is reported the incident took place outside Selborne Routledge Primary School shortly after 1900.

According to Advocate Thabani Mpofu, Shava received a call from a man claiming to have an urgent legal matter and he had agreed to meet the individual in the Belvedere area, where he intended to drop off a lawyer colleague. ^[1]

Shava is one of the lawyers under the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who represented CCC activists Joanna Mamombe, Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova in court.

The Law Society of Zimbabwe has conemnded the attack, and is also concerned that violence against legal practitioners has continued to increase recently. Months ago, Mr. [Kudzayi Kadzere]], was assaulted by the police while rendering services as a legal practitioner to his clients. In another case, Mrs. Fadzai Traquino, the Director of Women and Law Southern Africa Research Trust (WLSA), was subjected to cyberbullying by a disgruntled litigant resulting from her representation of the litigant’s estranged wife in a custody dispute. The Law Society of Zimbabwe is appalled by the increase in attacks and the use of violence against legal practitioners because these acts directly undermine the Rule of Law in Zimbabwe. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

Team

Their structure is founded on an excellent and enabling legal framework that enables them to have full control of the profession from training, admission to regulation of the membership in terms of discipline, trust accounting transparency, quality of service and client compensation as well as independence of the profession.^[2]

• Tatenda Mawere - Vice President

Mr Tatenda Mawere is a senior and founding partner at Mawere, Sibanda Commercial Lawyers.

• Brenda Matanga - Councilor

Brenda is the Managing Partner of B. Matanga Intellectual Property Attorneys.

• Tanaka Muganyi - Councilor

Tanaka is a Founding Partner with Tanaka Law Chambers, Attorneys At Law

Contacts

• 5th Floor, Law Society House, 46 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, P O Box 2595, Harare, Zimbabwe
• Telephone: +263-24-2751-000, +263-24-2779-207
• Email: admin@lsz.co.zw