Leslie Downie

University of Cape Town: Phil (Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment: Geomatics Division), 2015

Stellenbosch University: Centre of International and Comparative Labour and Social Security Law, 2000

University of South Africa: Hons in English Literature, 1991

University of Pretoria: BA LLB, 1981

• Land information systems (LIS) particularly housing-related
• Social tenure
• Researcher
• Mediator
• Plain legal language, particularly simple grassroots language
• Audio recordings for functionally illiterate listeners (project management)
• Writer and editor for collaborative writing and sustainable publishing
• Drafting legal precedents for the poor, particularly as a record for LIS
• Training, particularly housing paralegals and record keepers
• Notarial authentication

• Research: MPhil (Geomatics Division, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment) awarded with distinction, 2015.  Title Developing and Initial Testing of Pro-Poor Prenuptial Agreements as a New Land Tenure Tool to Secure Rights in Urban State-Subsidized Housing – 
• Mediation panels: Mediation in Motion (Current) | DRDLR Land Rights Management Facility (Previous)
• Publications:
  Pro-Poor Legal Practice:  Household Rights and State Subsidised Housing in South Africa, Juta 2016 Review by Sicelo Kula
  Annual Banking Law Update: How to Rob a Bank: Land Tenure Information Systems, 2016 Ed C Hugo Juta
  FIG Working Week (New Zealand), 2016 – Cadastre and Land Management Commission: Social Tenure Based on Intimacy – Avoiding Family Disasters: South African Marital Contracts as an Innovative Pro-poor Land Tool (J Whittal is cited as co-author, according to the convention in science faculties of citing your academic promoter as a co-author.) This article has been nominated ‘article of the month’ in July 2016 by FIG the International Federation of Surveyors
  AfricaGEO Conference – Land Tenure: Mapping Marital Rights and Obligations, 2014
  English/Xhosa audio books: How to Buy and Sell a Low Cost Property BLISS 2012
  PER Law Journal: Urban Pro Poor Registrations: Complex-Simple, the Overstrand Project, 2011
• Addresses: | UCT Property Law Teacher’s Colloquium: Sur-Real Rights: Urban Immovable Property Law for the Informal Sector, 2012 | Premier of the Western Cape and Provisional officials: Conflicts in Urban Poor-to-Poor Alienations of Previously State-subsidized Land, 2012 | Stellenbosch University Sustainability Institute: Sustainable Publishing, 2008

Leslie loves conceptual art, social hiking and distance swimming, and has written a collaborative murder mystery, Dead Letter, with friends. Volunteer activities include: Christian Lawyer’s Association board member 2007 – 2008 | Learn to Earn board chairperson Hermanus (NPO) 2001 – 2003 | Harare Inner City Partnership social welfare committee 1997 – 1998 | American Field Service (AFS) exchange student Dallas, Texas 1976