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UFS alumna and Council member honoured by the American Bar Association

01 July 2022 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath | Photo Supplied

Leah Molatseli_latest news — Leah Molatseli.

Leah Molatseli– alumna and Council member of the University of the Free State (UFS) – is the first African woman to be recognised by the American Bar Association in its list of Women of Legal Tech for her contribution and influence in the legal tech industry. A commitment to diversity is one of the core values of the American Bar Association, which the Law Practice Division aims to reinforce in the legal tech sector. Annually, talented women in the legal tech space are recognised for making an impact on legal tech.

A lawyer by profession, published legal tech author and speaker, as well as legal tech and innovation specialist, Molatseli uses technology and innovative means to empower and educate law professionals. She is currently head of business development at Legal Interact, a South African law firm that provides technology solutions for the legal industry.

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, congratulated Molatseli on her achievement. “On behalf of the executive committee of the University of the Free State (UFS) and the university community, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on being recognised by the American Bar Association for your contribution to the legal tech industry. Being the first African woman to be honoured in this way makes this accomplishment even more extraordinary. You are a trailblazer in your field in so many ways,” said Prof Petersen.

Prof Petersen said, “The university, and the Faculty of Law in particular, is proud to be associated with you. We also appreciate your continued support to the institution. Your dedication and expertise inspire us all – I will continue to follow your professional journey, because I know there is much more in store”. Prof Petersen continued to thank Molatseli for contributing to the legal field in an innovative and contemporary manner.

Molatseli is host of and guest speaker for various legal tech talks globally, as well as a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town, where she develops and teaches legal tech innovation-related courses to the legal industry. A Mandela Washington fellow, as well as a Notre Dame alumna, she is a member of the Women in Tech South African Chapter, a country member for the Global Legal Tech Consortium, and is one of 2022’s ILTA’s Most Influential Women in Legal Tech honourees.

News Archive

Year-long programme to celebrate the story of life and survival

2009-02-13

At the launch of the UFS's year-long programme to celebrate the story of life and survival were, from the left: Prof. Schalk Louw, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Jo van As, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Prof. Maitland Seaman, Centre for Environmental Management, and Prof. Matie Hoffman, Department of Physics. All four are associated with the UFS.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

A year-long programme to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his scientifically important book “The Origin of Species” was launched yesterday (the birth date of Darwin) by the University of the Free State (UFS) on its Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The UFS is the only university in the country that is presenting such an extensive programme on life and survival. Yesterday’s launch programme entailed a portrayal of the life of Darwin and a presentation on what nature tells us about cosmic history. It was the start of a year-long lecture programme in which various departments at the UFS will take part.

“The lecture programme, called “The story of life and survival”, forms a cycle of the progress of man and does not only focus on Darwin. The programme aims to portray the influence of Darwin’s theory of evolution on a wide range of disciplines. We see this as a good opportunity to promote science in its broadest context,” says Prof. Jo Van As, head of the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS.

The lecture programme will include topics such as the geological evolution of our planet, extinction, Darwinian agriculture, the road to civilisation, the proliferation of technology and communication, human demography and the human impact on the environment. It will be concluded in February 2010 with a lecture on the future of evolution.

The programme is spearheaded by the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the UFS, in conjunction with the National Museum and the Central University of Technology.

“Today evolution is no longer considered to be a theory and is widely accepted by most serious scientists as the process responsible for the diversity of life on our planet,” says Prof. Van As.

Complete programme:

26 February 2009: The geological evolution of our planet
13 March 2009: Origin of life, prokaryotes and eukaryotes
24 March 2009: Extinction
16 April 2009: Evolution and biodiversity of plants
30 April 2009: Evolution and biodiversity of animals
14 May 2009: The mechanisms of evolution: Heredity and Natural Selection
28 May 2009: Origin of humankind
4 June 2009: Darwinian agriculture
30 July 2009: Road to civilisation
6 August 2009: Human demography
20 August 2009: Proliferation of technology and communication
10 September 2009: Human impact: On the environment
8 October 2009: Human impact: Resistance, ectoparasites, HIV/Aids, antibiotics
22 October 2009: How to care for the world
12 February 2009: The future of evolution

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
13 February 2009

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