Chigo Mabila

Chigo Mabila

Associate
Johannesburg
About

Chigo is an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa and an Associate in the Responsible Business team at DLA Piper South Africa. 

She has experience in providing counsel on various legal domains, including public law, legislative compliance, dispute resolution, corporate mergers and acquisitions, and commercial litigation.

 
Areas of FocusCorporateMergers and AcquisitionsLitigation, Arbitration and Investigations
Bar admissionsAttorney of the High Court of South Africa

EXPERIENCE

Pro bono and public interest experience

  • Part of the legal team representing the Helen Suzman Foundation in their strategic public interest review application against the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the termination of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits.
  • Providing corporate governance advisory services to a women-led non-governmental organisations with a specific focus on renewable energy, water conservation, food security, waste management, and environmental sustainability in rural areas of South Africa.
  • Assisting and advising vulnerable individuals and organisations* in navigating housing disputes.
  • Facilitating the acquisition of identity documents from the Department of Home Affairs for individuals in need.*
  • Developing and overseeing legal workshops tailored for sustainability-focused Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises.
  • Advocated for final-year students' academic re-enrolment, addressing exclusion resulting from underperformance exacerbated by mental health challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.*

Corporate and commercial experience

  • Drafted comprehensive legal opinions on force majeure for clients in the construction sector, addressing challenges arising from Covid-19 restrictions.*
  • Produced legal opinions on fundamental principles of contract law within the context of construction contracts.*
  • Prepared board and shareholder resolutions to facilitate seamless share transactions and prepared the consequential CIPC documentation to formalise director resignations and appointments following share transactions.*
  • Drafted sale of business agreement for a PMG company, as part of a business rescue plan drafting shareholder agreements.*
  • Assisted in formulating and executing a business rescue plan for a client in the PMG sector, ensuring compliance with legal requirements as well as provided strategic support in defending litigation brought against a business rescue practitioner by a minority shareholder.*
  • Advised on compliance with the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) and the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act.*
  • Prepared comprehensive legal opinions on various sections of the Companies Act.*

*Denotes experience from previous firm

Languages
  • English
  • IsiNdebele
  • Sepedi
Education
  • University of Pretoria, LLB (cum laude), 2019

Prior Experience

Chigo commenced her legal career at a South African law firm, in January 2020, where she began as a candidate attorney. During her tenure, she successfully completed her articles and later transitioned to the role of Associate within the mergers and acquisitions practice. Chigo then joined the responsible business DLA Piper in August 2022 where she helps manage the pro bono practice for the 20 DLA Piper offices in Africa.

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Connect

Phone

+27 (0) 113 020 883
(Work, Johannesburg)
+27 (0) 661 849 187
(Mobile)