Jacquie Cassette

Practice Head, Director

Jacquie Cassette is a Director and Head of our Pro Bono & Human Rights practice. Jacquie is responsible for the management of the firm's pro bono and human rights practice, both with regard to its existing projects and individual matters, as well as the identification of future projects. She practiced as an advocate at the Johannesburg Bar for a number of years before she joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. At the bar she practiced mostly in the fields of constitutional and administrative law (public law), pension fund law as well as general commercial law. She also has experience in the advertising industry, having acted as the Chair of the Advertising Industry Tribunal for a few years.

Jacquie Cassette

About Jacquie

About Jacquie

Jacquie previously taught at the Wits Law School for a few years before obtaining an LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana USA. After her year at Notre Dame she spent a year as an intern in the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY and ICTR in The Hague. Jacquie subsequently returned to South Africa to serve as a research assistant to Justice Goldstone at the Constitutional Court. From there she was employed as a senior investigator at the Office of the Public Protector for two years, before joining the Johannesburg Bar where she practiced from 2001 to 2013. She joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Director in 2014.

Credentials

Credentials

Education

  • BA LLB, University of the Witwatersrand
  • LLM (International Human Rights Law), University of Notre Dame (USA)
  • Year of admission as an advocate: 2000
  • Year of admission as a member of the Johannesburg Bar: 2001

Languages

Languages

  • English

About Jacquie

Jacquie previously taught at the Wits Law School for a few years before obtaining an LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana USA. After her year at Notre Dame she spent a year as an intern in the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY and ICTR in The Hague. Jacquie subsequently returned to South Africa to serve as a research assistant to Justice Goldstone at the Constitutional Court. From there she was employed as a senior investigator at the Office of the Public Protector for two years, before joining the Johannesburg Bar where she practiced from 2001 to 2013. She joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr as a Director in 2014.

Credentials

Education

  • BA LLB, University of the Witwatersrand
  • LLM (International Human Rights Law), University of Notre Dame (USA)
  • Year of admission as an advocate: 2000
  • Year of admission as a member of the Johannesburg Bar: 2001

Languages

  • English

News

A municipality found in contempt of court opens the door for a possible award of constitutional damages for ongoing violation of socio-economic rights
Pro Bono & Human Rights

A municipality found in contempt of court opens the door for a possible award of constitutional damages for ongoing violation of socio-economic rights

” The commitment to transform our society into one which respects and observes the values of human dignity, freedom and equality lies at the heart of our constitutional order .” –...

Traditional Khoi-San Leadership Act: The importance of meaningful public participation during the law-making process
Pro Bono & Human Rights

Traditional Khoi-San Leadership Act: The importance of meaningful public participation during the law-making process

“This case is about the significance of participatory democracy for millions of South Africans who for the most part live away from the centres of power, in rural areas and some of...

Court confirms the rights of pregnant and lactating women and children under six to free healthcare
Pro Bono & Human Rights

Court confirms the rights of pregnant and lactating women and children under six to free healthcare

On Friday, 14 April CDH’s Pro Bono & Human Rights practice celebrated victory in one of its long-standing matters concerning the enforcement of the rights of pregnant and lactating...

Automatic abandonment of asylum application: An analysis of the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town v Minister of Home Affairs judgment
Pro Bono & Human Rights

Automatic abandonment of asylum application: An analysis of the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town v Minister of Home Affairs judgment

The process of applying for asylum in South Africa is governed by the Refugees Act 130 of 1998 (Refugees Act). Sections 22(12) and 22(13) were introduced into the Refugees Act by the...

In loco parentis: Schools’ liability and duty to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to learners under their care
Pro Bono & Human Rights

In loco parentis: Schools’ liability and duty to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to learners under their care

“ After the event, even a fool is wise. But it is not the hindsight of a fool; it is the foresight of a reasonable man which can determine responsibility ” – Viscount Simonds

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021 - 2024 ranked Jacquie in Band 3 for Administrative & Public Law.

Market recognition

  • Chambers Global 2021 - 2024 ranked Jacquie in Band 3 for Administrative & Public Law.