Chris Carelse

BProc LLB (UPE) Advocate Carelse is a member of The Johannesburg bar who completed his pupilage under Advocate Mahon. After more than 15 years experience as an attorney, Advocate Carelse was admitted to the bar in 2013. Chris is a competent strategist capable of developing innovative litigation plans and activities designed to facilitate a competitive edge. With a Post Graduate Diploma in Labour Law Practice and a certificate in Leadership Development from the University of the Witwatersrand, he brings excellent litigation, communication and negotiation skills to The Dagga Couple’s case.

Maurice Crespi

BA LLB (Rhodes); H Dip Co Law (Wits). Maurice is Managing Partner at Schindlers Attorneys and has been with the firm since 1997. Admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 1998, he is a highly experienced and established litigation attorney with several reported judgments in both the Supreme Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court. He regularly provides guidance to boards of companies, both public and private, and he gives lectures on recent developments in commercial law. He heads a team of 15 professionals, insisting that each member is efficient, knowledgeable, focused and driven. From the first day at Schindlers’ office, Maurice inspired The Dagga Couple with his positive and succinct grasp of the matter at hand.

Kyle Telfer

Kyle Telfer is currently a candidate attorney in the commercial litigation department. His interests lie in civil litigation, corporate restructure, negotiation, alternative dispute resolution and criminal law. Since joining the Dagga Couple case team, Kyle has done extensive work on our Expert Witness strategy.

Caitlin Wilde

Caitlin is currently a candidate attorney in the commercial law department. She has been involved in several High Court and Magistrate’s Court litigation matters, as well as intellectual property matters. She is particularly interested in gaining more knowledge and experience in the fields of intellectual property and entertainment law.

Jasvir Mangal Sewnarain

Advocate Robin Stransham-Ford

In April 2015 we bade farewell to our very special warrior when Robin left his long and painful battle with cancer behind and went forward into the light.

No stranger to difficult and high profile cases, Advocate Stransham-Ford became involved with The Dagga Couple case after it became evident that Cannabis Oil was an effective treatment for his cancer. With his extensive international experience, he steered the ship with characteristic insight and aplomb. Through his intimate knowledge and personal experience of this plant he made significant contributions to our legal strategy.

We continue our work with the memory of long conversations with Robin fresh in our hearts. Together with Dr Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, Adv Stransham-Ford will be remembered as a warrior for our beloved plant, right up to the end. He believed that “by doing what is right, we will overcome might.” He understood about usefulness and happiness in life, and ultimately courage and peace in death – this was a principle in which he firmly believed and this was evidenced by his final battle to enshrine one’s right to dignity in death in our Constitution and Common law.

Ricky Stone

Director at Boqwana Burns with extensive experience in environmental protection law, Ricky has been instrumental in the work to eradicate Cannabis crop spraying in South Africa and the legal challenge successfully live streaming of The Trial of The Plant. We look forward to continuing our work with him.

Kyle Torrington

BComm (Stellenbosch) LLB (UJ) With experience in criminal law and commercial litigation, Kyle contributed a great deal of time and professional service to The Dagga Couple case while he was a Senior Associate at Schindlers. Kyle was instrumental in the process of Schindlers Attorneys taking on the case as a firm. He has left to pursue other options. His knowledge of technology and its integration into the legal process is crucial for a high profile case such as this. We look forward to continuing our work with him.

David Brimer

David is a Partner at Schindlers Attorneys and he supervised the process of registration for Fields of Green for ALL. He and his team made sure that all was in order for the formation of South Africa’s first Cannabis legalisation Non-Profit Company.

The Pro Bono Organisation

ProBono.Org is a young, dynamic NGO that works with the private legal profession to provide pro bono legal services to the poor. They harness the enormous skill, might and strength of the South African private legal fraternity to cases and clients that they identify. The Dagga Couple approached the organisation for help with the registration of Fields of Green for ALL and their sound advice led to the organisation being given the green light by the Law Society of South Africa and this set in motion a process which shifted The Dagga Couple case into top gear. On the strength of the approval of The Law Society, Schindlers Attorneys started the registration process and went on to take on the case in its entirety. The Cannabis legalisation campaigns in South Africa are grateful to The Probono Organisation for their pivotal role on the road to legalisation.

Ferdinand Hartzenberg

When The Dagga Couple first decided to challenge the Cannabis laws in South Africa, they presented their unorthodox idea to Ferdi Hartzenberg. He understood that this is a Human Rights issue and for two years he guided Julian and Myrtle through the process. He proved to be a formidable figure in the early days at the Krugersdorp Magistrate’s Court and administered the process whereby the case was struck off the roll at the Magistrate’s Court and transferred to the North Gauteng High Court. After two years Ferdi advised The Dagga Couple that their case needed the pro bono assistance of a larger law firm. Julian and Myrtle are very grateful to Ferdi for his role in getting through the first steps of the process.

Bogoshi Bokaba

Bogoshi Bokaba was admitted to the Johannesburg Society of Advocates in December 1994 and took silk in January 2008. His preferred areas of practice include commercial, corporate, tax and administrative law. He appears primarily before the High Courts, the Supreme Court of Appeal, arbitrations and the High and Supreme Courts of Namibia. In addition to his practice he has been appointed as an acting judge and as an arbitrator. Bogoshi holds an LLB and Higher Diplomas in corporate and tax law

Helene Davidtsz

Attorney at the University of Pretoria Law Clinic.

Reginald Willis

Advocate Reg Willis is chairman of the Christian Lawyers Association.

Mpati Qofa

Advocate Mpati Qofa is assisting Advocate Reginald Willis.

Natvarlal Ranchod

Mr Natvarlal Ranchod as a Judge of the North and South Gauteng High Courts, Pretoria and Johannesburg.