Summary Profile
Fiona Leppan is a member of the Employment practice in Johannesburg. She
has extensive experience in the field of employee relations both from a
litigation perspective and in terms of strategic planning. Training and
development in this field has been a focal point. She has actively trained
clients on how to deal with internal disputes and to conduct enquiries and
arbitrations. She has also established entire dispute resolution processes for
a number of mining houses where disputes were dealt with by way of private
conciliation and arbitration. Fiona works in various industries including
mining, metals, engineering, retail, broadcasting, financial services and the
commercial distributive trade. Fiona has also been involved in occupational
health and safety work. Fiona is a member of the SEIFSA Industrial Relations
Forum in the Metals' Industry,
Career
Fiona started her career as Registrar to Mr Justice Margo in the then
Supreme Court. In 1983, Fiona joined Webber Wentzel Bowens as a Candidate
Attorney where she was later promoted to Partner. Fiona then joined Deneys
Reitz as a Partner. In 1998, she left Deneys Reitz to establish the law firm
Leppan Beech. In 2007, Fiona joined Cliffe Dekker as a Director. In September
2008 Fiona became a Director of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.
Education/ Qualifications
BA LLB, University of Witwatersrand
HDip (Advanced Company Law),
University of the Witwatersrand
Certificate (Mining and Prospecting Law
(with distinction)), Mandela School of Law
Date of admission: 1986
Experience
- Conducted many reported cases in the Land Claims, Labour Court and
Labour Appeal Court
- Acted as an Assessor in the previous Labour Appeal Court
- Requested by the Minister of Justice to sit as an Acting Judge in the
Labour Court
- Developed Land Law as an area of expertise, inclusive of community
relocations and land claims
- Undertaken occupational health and safety work and conducted serious
incident and fatal accident inquiries
- Regularly writes articles for the Industry in SEIFSA News, Martin
Creamer's Engineering News and Without Prejudice
