Leslie Downie

Leslie DownieSenior Associate

Leslie Downie joined Michalsons in 2016 to coordinate a groundbreaking legal specialisation for Land Information Systems Law and left in 2021. Leslie is uniquely skilled to help manage legal risks triggered when processing information for land in pro-poor data portals. Her theoretical expertise is drawn from postgraduate legal and language qualifications and her MPhil research (Geomatics EBE). She was on the roll of legal practitioners as an attorney, notary and conveyance. She is an accredited mediator and an affiliate member of the South African Geomatics Institute.

Her specialisations include verification and authentication processes for land information systems, fine art and collectables, and data from poor or low-literate citizens. Leslie also offers mediation services for alternative dispute resolution relating to land, housing, art, collectables and religious entities.

Education

University of Cape Town: MPhil (Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment: Geomatics Division), 2015 – with distinction

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

University of South Africa: Hons in English Literature, 1991

University of Pretoria: BA LLB, 1981

Expertise

Land tenure and land information systems (LIS)
Informal and religious land tenure
Record keeping for disadvantaged consumers
Mediation and alternative dispute resolution
Simple language/audio recordings for low-literate right holders
Training of paralegals and land information record keepers
Notarial verification and authentication processes
Researcher, author, speaker and publisher

Recognition

Cadastral Mapping of Water as an Individualised Human Right written for the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Working Week Amsterdam 2020 https://www.fig.net/resources/proceedings/fig_proceedings/fig2020/papers/ts05h/TS05H_downie_10473.pdf
Gendered Housing Imbalances: The Devil is in the Data written for the Transaction Support Centre and funded by the Cities Alliance https://www.citiesalliance.org/newsroom/news/urban-news/data-dilemma-addressing-housing-inequities-south-africa
De Rebus Cadastre: Principles and Practice book review written for the South African Geomatics Institute
http://www.derebus.org.za/cadastre-principles-and-practice/
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 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: | Hometruths Conference London Clergy Land Tenure: Mapping Marital Rights 2018 / SA Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law (SAIFAC), WITS, NWU, UNISA Pro-Poor Legal Practice 2017/ SA Geomatics Institute AGM 2017 / VPUU Individual Social Tenure 2015 /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

Beyond the law

Leslie loves playing with creative ideas and new concepts. She is fascinated by abstract and conceptual art and has written a collaborative murder mystery with friends (Dead Letter). She enjoys editing writing that interests her; social hiking, open water swimming, and growing things you can eat – even though she is a useless cook. Most of all she loves quality family time. 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.

With Michalsons
Before Michalsons

With Michalsons

2016 – 2021: Senior Associate at Michalsons

Leslie offered various legal services, including:

Land tenure information systems advice

Informal land tenure data
Deeds registry conveyancing and notarial processes
Backlog title deeds for beneficiaries of state housing
Title registration problems in the secondary market
Gender equality when upgrading land tenure
Family title and pro-poor marriage contracts
Religious land tenure and missionary land
Training of land information system paralegals
Pilot projects and research

Mediation and conciliation services (Alternative dispute resolution services)

Land

Disputes over previously state-subsidised land – eg disputes over upgrading of tenure in line with gender equality, and between beneficiaries or informal occupants
Market-priced properties – eg between buyers and sellers, neighbours, or formal owners and informal occupants Religious institutions.
Disputes between leaders and their spouses, leaders and staff, leaders and members – eg over clergy housing or land donations for land reform to help the landless

Art

Disputes between artists, dealers, investors, insurers, foundries and gallerists – eg over attribution, use, consignments, deliveries and breakages

Notarial verification and authentication processes for:

Fine art, celebrity memorabilia and collectables
Apostilles (for foreign jurisdictions)

Before Michalsons

Local government consulting: Overstrand Municipality housing department, Western Cape Provincial Human Settlements reference group

Pilot project associations and focus groups: Overstrand Municipality, Cape Law Society, Stellenbosch University, Mossel Bay Municipality.

Research: Land tenure information systems, household rights and social tenure, urban land rights, pro-poor generic contracts, backlog title deeds

Mediation panelist: DRDLR Management facility panel for land mediators (2011 – 2013), Mediation in Motion 2015 to date

South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI) affiliate member

Law firms: Burgers & Van Noordwyk, Downie Gray & Associates (Hermanus) Atherstone & Cook (Harare, Zimbabwe) Livingston, Leandy Inc (Durban)

Lectureships: UNISA (social law, family law and law of persons), UCT (business law)

BLISS: Business Law Informal Sector Solutions: Trademark holder and audio publisher

Directorship: Imibala Fine Art Gallery, (NPO associated with the Imibala Trust)