Precious Gondwe, a 21st Century Legal Practitioner in Botswana

May 26, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Precious & Partners Legal Practice, an award-winning legal practice in Gaborone Botswana.

Precious Gondwe, founder of Precious & Partners Legal Practice, is a visionary executive with a progressive legal background. She has a record of accomplishment as evidenced by the multi-awards, accolades, and nominations conferred on her by reputable awards bodies over the past five years. She brings a strong focus on servitude leadership and growth coupled with confidence in decision-making and experience in leading organizations through periods of change and development. Precious is very articulate and driven, with top strengths in relationship-building, planning, strategic management experience, and operations. She is a Corporate Lawyer with nine years post qualification experience and previous litigation experience. These skills and experiences, expertly provide world-class legal services on a variety of Commercial and Corporate Law matters at a Global level. With the Leadership skills she possesses, Precious ensures that the team remains results-oriented, and the results of a proven track record of exceptional outcomes for clients and impeccable growth in revenue for the organizations she has worked with, speak for themselves. The business was launched in 2018 and has created jobs for 15 people.

Natasha Mohunlal, a powerhouse trademark attorney in South Africa building a boutique law firm

January 21, 2024 Melanie Hawken

Natasha Mohunlal, Trademark Attorney & founder, Natasha Mohunlal and Associates Inc. (South Africa)

Startup Story

Natasha Mohunlal is a Trademark Attorney, the founder and Managing Director of Natasha Mohunlal and Associates Inc. based in Pretoria, South Africa, also known as NMA. She is a prominent entrepreneur, community activist, and visionary. She won the Women in IP award in Utah in July 2022. Her law firm won the SA IP law firm of the year 2022 at the Middle East Africa Business Awards. Her firm also won the Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year 2023 at the Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Global Awards. She was also crowned title partner at the Influential Women of the Year Awards in March 2023, which took place in Cape Town. In the same year, she won the Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Awards 2023 and Prominent Women in International Law Award - WLA2023 Dubai. In July 2023, she was awarded the Top IP Leader award in Dubai, and was also selected for the 'Top 25 Exceptional Women in Trademark.’

Sujata Jaffer, a strategic, client-focused leader in professional services

August 8, 2021 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Weekender Cover Story

Nexia SJ Tanzania, a leading Audit, Accountancy, Tax and Assurance consulting business

The award-winning Sujata Jaffer is highly respected by industry peers and colleagues for her intelligence, strength, passion, philanthropy, work ethics and leadership qualities. Founder and Managing Partner of Nexia SJ Tanzania, Sujata brings more than 20 years’ experience in Accounting, Audit and Tax consulting.

Nozipho Mvulane and Arisha Rajaram, two legal entrepreneurs helping clients to find support in their times of need

July 11, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Arisha Rajaram and Nozipho Mvulane, founders of Rajaram Mvulane Attorneys (South Africa) — Arisha Rajaram and Nozipho Mvulane, founders of Rajaram Mvulane Attorneys (South Africa)

Startup Story

Everyone needs legal advice and assistance at some time in their lives, but finding the right law firm that understands your needs and that you can relate to can be hard. But in South Africa, two enterprising lawyers, Nozipho Mvulane and Arisha Rajaram, founders of Rajaram Mvulane Attorneys, are making legal advice and specialist support accessible.

Morenike Okebu, a Nigeria legal entrepreneur providing access to quality and affordable legal services to SMEs

November 3, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Morenike Okebu, founder of Reni Legal (Nigeria)

Startup Story

As every entrepreneur knows, getting the right legal advice for a growing business is essential, yet it can often be out of reach from an affordability perspective in the early days. But in Nigeria, entrepreneur and lawyer, Morenike Okebu, founder of Reni Legal, is bringing legal advice and expertise within reach of all SMEs.

Itweva Nogueira, an Angolan entrepreneur providing specialist legal advice to big and small businesses

April 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

Itweva Nogueira, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados (Angola) — **Itweva Nogueira**, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados (Angola)

In business, having a good source of legal advice is essential in order to deal effectively with all the challenges that present themselves along the journey. In Angola, one woman entrepreneur lawyer is creating a highly successful business that is helping businesses large and small with their legal needs. Itweva Nogueira, founder of law firm I. N sociedade de Advogados is just the legal advisor that entrepreneurs and business leaders need on their side.

Dr Levashni Naidoo, a passionate dermatologist on a mission to help her clients achieve great skin

August 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Dr Levashni Naidoo, founder of The Dermatology Room (South Africa) — **Dr Levashni Naidoo**, founder of The Dermatology Room (South Africa)

For many people, dealing with challenging skin conditions can be confidence sapping and daunting. But for Dr Levashni Naidoo (or Dr Lev as she is fondly known) and her dedicated team at The Dermatology Room in South Africa, their inspiration is provide effective and life enhancing solutions.

Nonhlanhla Khumalo, a South African entrepreneur bringing financial management and accounting solutions to its clients

November 12, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Nonhlanhla Khumalo, founder of LeHay Consulting (South Africa) — **Nonhlanhla Khumalo**, founder of LeHay Consulting (South Africa)

Businesses need access to specialist financial services advice and support, but often for start up companies, it can be a daunting process. Now help is at hand from experienced accountant and entrepreneur, Nonhlanhla Khumalo, founder of LeHay Consulting.

Marion Nixon, a South African entrepreneur on a mission to help others transform their lives

May 28, 2017 Melanie Hawken

If you have ever thought of changing your life for the better by understanding yourself and the factors that might be holding you back, then you may need a Personal Change Agent to help you on your journey of self discovery. Marion Nixon is just such a person, with the skills and experience to help those who feel stuck in life to find their way again.

Manyara Chigunduru, a Zimbabwean entrepreneur with a never give up attitude to business, and a great brand builder

September 18, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Manyara Chigunduru, Founder & Managing Partner Marianhill Capital (Pvt) Ltd & Marianhill Chartered Accountants (Zimbabwe) — **Manyara Chigunduru**, Founder & Managing Partner Marianhill Capital (Pvt) Ltd & Marianhill Chartered Accountants (Zimbabwe)

Integrity is everything in the fields of financial advisory services, auditing and accounting, and for the founder of Marianhill Capital (Pvt) Ltd & Marianhill Chartered Accountants, Manyara Chigunduru, she was driven by the desire to build a company with integrity at its foundation.

Aleshia van der Ploeg - The startup story of a legal expert turned entrepreneur with a passion for helping SMEs and startups

July 6, 2016 Melanie Hawken

Aleshia van der Ploeg, founder of VDP Legal Consulting (South Africa) — **Aleshia van der Ploeg**, founder of VDP Legal Consulting (South Africa)

Making the move from the world of working in law firms as an employee to an entrepreneurial life as a legal consulting firm is one that Aleshia van der Ploeg knows only too well when. Today her company, VDP Legal Consulting, provides her with the opportunity to live her working life on her own terms whilst fulfilling her passion for providing expert legal advice to those SMEs and startups who need it.

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