Sternford Moyo for Law Society of Zimbabwe

The Law Society of Zimbabwe represents the views of the legal profession; its charge is to maintain the integrity of that profession in Zimbabwe.In recent years, the Society has taken a stand in support of the rule of law and in defense of the independence of the judiciary. It has protested strongly the encroachment of the executive on the judicial system, demanded enforcement of court rulings, and decried attacks on the court and its officers.The Society's actions in support of justice have taken the form of public statements, petitions, and public demonstration. The organization was adamant in its support of Chief Justice Anthony R. Gubbay as he endured and withstood intense pressure to bend the law to support political ends.Every registered legal practitioner residing in Zimbabwe has a right to be a member of the Law Society. The current membership is just over 800 legal practitioners, 600 of them in private practice and 200 in commerce.The Society maintains a register of all legal practitioners registered to practice law in Zimbabwe. It is responsible for all disciplinary matters involving legal practitioners, the professional interests of legal practitioners, the encouragement of and promotion of the study of law and jurisprudence including securing efficiency and responsibility on the part of those seeking to practice law in Zimbabwe. It has other functions commonly associated with a statutory body whose responsibility is representing the views of legal practitioners and controlling and disciplining legal practitioners practicing within its jurisdiction.An eleven-member Council runs the affairs of the Society. Two members are appointed by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parlimentary Affairs. The other nine are elected.President of the Law Society is Sternford Moyo, a native of Zimbabwe who has practiced law there for 20 years, specializing in litigation, corporate law and project finance work.He received his degrees from the University of Zimbabwe, earning the Butterworth prize as the most outstanding Bachelor of Laws graduate in 1981.A senior partner in the firm of Scanlen & Holderness, he also is a director of Stanbic Bank of Zimbabwe Limited and has served on the Board of Directors of the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation of Zimbabwe.Mr. Moyo is a member of the Judicial College of Zimbabwe, a constitutional body with responsibility to render general advice on the appointment of judges and other persons.He is married to Sara Nyaradzo Moyo, a partner in Honey and Blanckenberg. They have three children.