Teachings

Extension of Time Agreements and Applications

This is one of the applications I dislike, if not dread. The application appears administratively innocuous. However, the legal implications of losing one can be severe. The basis of every Extension of Time application (‘EOT’) is the applicant’s or its solicitors’ failure to file or do something within the deadline set by the rules or directed by the court. It is typical for the lawyer’s fault to be a reason for the application. After all, …

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A short guide to applying for leave to appeal

This is an approach to preparing an application for leave to appeal. An appeal is a request to a higher court to rehear and review the court below’s decision (‘the original decision’). An appeal can happen from the subordinate courts, comprised of the magistrates and sessions courts, to the High Court (Scenario 1) and subsequently from the High Court to the Court of Appeal (Scenario 2). It can also happen from the High Court to …

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A short guide to conducting an appeal

This is a way to conduct an appeal. An appeal is a request to a higher court to rehear and review the court below’s decision (‘the original decision’). An appeal can happen from the subordinate courts, comprised of the magistrates and sessions courts, to the High Court (Scenario 1), or from the High Court to the Court of Appeal (Scenario 2). For civil matters, there is only one right of appeal. If a litigant wants …

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Preparing Statements of Agreed Facts and Statements of Issues to be Tried

In the preparation of trials, the court orders parties, as a matter of course, to prepare a Statement of Agreed Facts (‘SAF’) and a Statement of Issues to be Tried (‘SIT’): see Order 34 rule 2(2)(j) and (k), Rules of Court 2012. There are good reasons for this. The purpose of these statements is two-fold. First, it is to encourage and facilitate the narrowing, outlining and identification of the disputed factual areas and legal issues …

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The Basic Skillset of a Lawyer

Marketing, business development, making Tik Tok videos, getting featured or profiled here and there, and such matters are things one does purportedly for attracting legal work. These are not skills for producing high-quality legal work. They are an enervating distraction, especially to the development of a young lawyer’s legal abilities. For myself, there are 4 basic skill sets every lawyer must possess: the ability to read, write, speak and think. I know anyone literate can …

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