“Each generation is motivated by the achievements of the previous generation.”- Nape Masipa
Nape Masipa is the Managing Director at Mphahlele and Masipa Inc. Attorneys, a multi-disciplinary law firm that provides legal and advisory services to state-owned entities, government departments, private commercial enterprises, and private individuals in South Africa. The firm was established in early 2016, with offices in Pretoria, Polokwane, and Sandton in South Africa. Mr. Masipa is one of five Directors, and he leads the Corporate and Commercial Law Department of the firm, which handles Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) for both domestic and international transactions, as well as commercial litigation. Nape Masipa has held several leadership positions, including National President of the Black Lawyers Association Student Chapter. He served as a member of a Branch Executive Committee in the BLA’s Northwest Province. The NEC of the BLA appointed him to the steering committee of the Young Lawyers Forum and subsequently to the Young Lawyers Task Team by the Law Society of South Africa, which is responsible for addressing the challenges faced by young lawyers in South Africa. This culminated in him fulfilling the same role at the SADCLA (SADC Lawyers Association). Nape Masipa has also served as the former Deputy Secretary and Secretary of the BLA Gauteng. He completed his articles at Maponya Incorporated, where he gained exposure to the Corporate Commercial Law sector.
1. Values, experiences, and personal philosophies.
Nape Masipa is influenced by various factors. His upbringing and background are major factors. The people of Seshego, a township outside Polokwane in the Limpopo Province are known for their resilience and their straightforwardness. In his journey, he has encountered various people who further moulded his professional career, and to this day, he remains committed to absorbing as much knowledge as possible from those who came before him, considering himself fortunate to have worked alongside individuals he regards as role models. The historical context in which he practices law also influences his approach, consistently striving to put his best foot forward, fully aware that he is a product of the activism that fought for the transformation of the legal profession in South Africa. As one of many change agents driving this course, he believes that being a lawyer is a calling to him, particularly a Black lawyer, who has to shoulder the responsibility of being a voice for the voiceless, just like Mr. Alfred Mangena and Mrs. Desiree Finca. A deep sense of injustice in the various encounters in his youth days shaped his desire to advance the interests of his people.
2. Defining moments or personal experiences that inspired a career in law.
Nape first read Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”, at the age of 8–10. Later in life, his elder cousin, Adv. Paul Mogashoa, who was also inspired by Mandela, pursued a career in law. Reading about lawyers sparked his imagination as well as seeing one of his family members studying law sealed the deal for him at a young age. His parents thought he would be a veterinarian because of his love for animals but it was not meant to be. His mind was made up to be a lawyer by age 13. Ms. Pettigrew, his English teacher in High School also encouraged him to pursue a career that was analytical and writing based. Nape had written a newspaper piece on South Africa’s preparation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and likened the situation to a household that only prepares itself to the fullest to impress guests whilst the residents lived in squalour.
3. Notable Hurdles and Secrets for overcoming them.
Nape considers himself “old school”. When he was first exposed to law firms in his twenties, paper and pen were still dominant instruments. His boss used a red pen to check and correct his work. Even in legal research, he would rather opt for physical law journals and textbooks, than online platforms. There have been major technological advances from the time he was 23 to now, and his Firm of Attorneys, Mphahlele and Masipa, embraced technology. He believes that he has significantly adapted, but would still embrace the paper and pen, anytime. He further notes that out of 56 employees, 90% are young individuals, which leaves him with few choices but to adapt and remain within the pulse of the organisation. Many business leaders have realised the need to remain competitive, and his law firm is currently experimenting with technological innovation to remain competitive in a changing legal landscape. Also interesting to note, a leading South African firm recently became the first in Africa to integrate AI, utilizing the AI tool Harvey. His firm is noting such industry trends and is adapting its strategy in a measured and responsible manner. The caveat is that for now, overreliance on AI can be disastrous as seen in the recent judgment of Mavundla v MEC Department of Co-Operative Government and Traditional Affairs and Others (Case No. 7940/2024P), which should serve as a cautionary tale for a modern lawyer.
4. Expectations of Millennial lawyers and how they shape the way they practice law and engage with the legal system.
Each generation is motivated by the achievements of the previous generation. It is a tall order when one considers South Africa’s past and the circumstances that some of the finest legal minds overcame. Take for example, his favourite Jurist, retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, Robben Island’s youngest Political Prisoner—a wonderful career at the Bar as an Advocate and a wonderful corporate stint as well. So of course, the perception might be that born free lawyers under democracy and practicing under democracy have it easier, and therefore this system must replicate 100 “Dikgang Mosenekes”. This should serve as a motivation and not a deterrent and everyone must accept that subjectively the Born Free lawyers are navigating their unique challenges and that perhaps Dikgang Moseneke was a once-in-generation lawyer who would have achieved what he achieved regardless of what life threw at him. There is no perfect science to it.
5. Some of the biggest misconceptions about the legal profession.
According to Nape, “With the growing demand to broadcast public interest cases on social media and TV, alongside American-styled TV shows, the public and law students alike may think the profession is all glamour and glitz. There is heavy toiling that happens behind the scenes. What you see in a 3-hour oral presentation took many weeks or months of intense research and analysis. A Sir Winston Churchill quote comes to mind when one summarises what the public is exposed to through broadcast media of court cases:
“If you want me to speak for two minutes, it will take me three weeks of preparation. If you want me to speak for thirty minutes, it will take me a week to prepare. If you want me to speak for an hour, I am ready now.”,
To be precise, being clinical in presentation takes a lot of preparation, there are no two ways about it”.
6. Qualities that define a truly exceptional lawyer in today’s world, and how young professionals cultivate these attributes.
Exceptional lawyers tend to consume a lot of information, it becomes second nature to consume all sorts of information even though it might not be relevant to what you may be working on right now. There needs to be a constant element of curiosity that will drive you, the longer you maintain your curiosity the higher the prospects of success in this field of work.
7.Best career advice received, and how it shaped the approach to law and professional growth.
Adv. Kiri Kgatle once told Nape during his university practical training, “Preparation breeds confidence.” Nape has found this to be profoundly true in every aspect of his career—be it litigation or deal structuring, preparation is invaluable.
8. Mentors and lessons learned from them.
Nape has many mentors. Firstly, he considers his Partners at Mphahlele and Masipa Inc. Attorneys to be his mentors, that is Desmond, Kagisho, Morore, and more recently, Ms. Rami Ngobeni. Except for Rami, they are slightly older than him and when he first started his journey in the profession, they all contributed differently to his outlook on the profession, and he continuously learned various skills from them. Adv. William Maodi was the first person he approached for mentorship while still at university. As the founding president of the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) Student Chapter, an organization Nape would later go on to lead, Adv. Maodi has been both a professional and personal mentor who has helped him navigate multiple spaces. The late president of the BLA, Mr. Lutendo Sigogo, was also a key mentor. He ensured Nape was present at BLA and Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) meetings, often fetching him from his mother’s house. He taught him grit and determination, and that the aim is to always be present where critical decisions are made. President Busani Mabunda is also a very close mentor to him, and he continues to draw wisdom. He has been fortunate to meet and work with people who inspire him journey, and he tries to absorb as much information from them at various stages of his Personal and Professional career.
9. What to change about the legal profession and why.
Equal distribution of legal work and equal access to professionals. The proverbial cake is skewed heavily in favour of white colleagues in South Africa. The situation gets worse when one considers that the State is the largest consumer of legal work in South Africa, however, there is no intentional programme to distribute legal work to represent the demographics of the legal professionals. Black professionals are in the majority, therefore they must get most of the exposure. It is unfortunately not the case 30 years after the attainment of Democracy in South Africa.
10. Books, podcasts, or resources that have influenced perspective.
Nape consumes a lot of information through various platforms. He reads a lot of autobiographies on historical and present figures, from Hugh Masekela to Ben Horowitz. Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett is currently his favourite podcast to learn from, and locally he enjoys political content so, Dr Sizwe Walsh-Mpofu’s SMWX is also a favourite podcast of his.
11. Career advice to younger self and why.
“It all happens at its own pace, that’s the beauty of it”, is a quote Nape came across recently. “Perhaps one should have enjoyed the journey more instead of being consistently driven by the pressure to succeed. There is nothing better than the present, take each day one day at a time and do that which is within your capabilities just for that day”, Nape said.
12. Advice or guiding principles to young legal professionals and advocates.
“Comparison is the thief of joy. There is a fine balance between being competitive and being consumed by the progress of others. Focus on your race and run it with dignity and grace regardless of your background or your obstacles”, Nape advised.
Click here to read our previous Millenial, Deborah Haddis Berhanu
Editorial Credits for this article
The Millennial Editors at The PALM:
- Silver Obioha – Managing Editor
- Dikeledi Matlhagare – Deputy Managing Editor
- Aya Hamdy, Princess Maake – Associate Editors
- Jemilat Akerele, Vera Enubianozor, Oluwabusayo Awodele, Gift Nwoke, Jessica Odoh, Tracy Karumba, Mary-Jones Ossi, Halimah Oladunni, Mary Linus, Jessica Omoruyi – Assistant Editors
