Meet our 2022 Winner!
Andri Jennings obtained her LLB degree in 2012 and was admitted as an attorney in 2014. She received a life-changing health diagnoses in 2017 and started her own law firm, Jennings Incorporated, in 2018.
Her firm is based in Pretoria, Gauteng and have virtual offices serving Johannesburg, Randburg and Cullinan. Like most lawyers after the pandemic, she follows a hybrid model, working from a commercial office and from home.
Her firm’s legal services relate to general litigation, cost consulting, administrative law, commercial law, banking and finance law, debt collection, debt review applications and corporate governance.
Below more about her competition entry:
What professional/ personal obstacle/s or challenge/s did you face in your legal practice? How did you overcome or concurred same? (max 300 words)
In 2016, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which is an auto immune disease that affects the central nervous system. The first thing my Neurologist told me, was that I should get a job that is less stressful than being an attorney. All I thought was, I will not allow a disease to discourage me from my passion and drive for the law.
During the end of 2017, I made a proposal to my then employer regarding business strategies I thought could be implemented in the business to expand, grow and to learn. Unfortunately, my vision was not shared. I was not deterred. Instead, I started my own firm from nothing. Afterall, if I don’t invest in my own ideas, why would anyone else?
Since 2018, and the inception of Jennings Incorporated, my firm has grown to nine employees. What I believe is the most important is to understand that nothing will just fall in your lap. It takes tenacity and grit to build something from nothing. But if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.
I started as a “one-man-band” and there is no shame in being the receptionist, typist, messenger, clerk and attorney all in one – and all from the spare bedroom of my two-bedroom townhouse. You don’t need a fancy signature or website to do amazing work. It will come with time. Plunge funds back into your business to evolve and expand. Today we have a main office in Pretoria and virtual offices in Johannesburg and Cullinan.
My biggest motivation is the knowledge that without suffering there would not be any compassion. We do not climb mountains for other people to see us, we climb the mountains to enjoy the view. We believe in people and the people then believe in us.
Why are you a “lawyer working smart”? (max 100 words)
Early in my solo career, I realised that generating work from work is the answer to keeping your doors open. We don’t outsource anything relating to law. If we get a client we cannot serve, we find someone willing to do fee sharing – even at a reduced rate. We do our own Taxations. We use inexpensive streams of advertising, like emails and social media. The key is to understand that a happy client is a recurring client – the same is applicable with employees, they are your most valuable asset. Your bottom line is not always the most important aspect.
What inspiring advice (lessons) can you share with colleagues about your legal career? (max 100 words)
There is no such thing as a dumb question.
Learn from your mistakes, do not let them define you – but learn every day.
It may be a bad day, but it is not a bad life.
Don’t be afraid to take a leap, any leap for that sake.
Put in the hours now so that you don’t have too later.
Stay humble, you are not as important as you think you may be.
If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect anyone else to?
Trust your gut feeling.
Phone a friend – does anyone need my number?
Professional achievements and contribution to legal development:
Andri is an active litigant and below are some of her high profile matters:
- Attorney of Record when Ms Dudu Myeni was declared a delinquent director. Citation: Myeni v Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse and Another (15996/2017) [2021] ZAGPPHC 56 (15 February 2021) (saflii.org)
- Attorney of Record when AARTO and the AARTO Amendment Act was declared unconstitutional. Citation: Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse v Minister of Transport and Others (32097/2020) [2022] ZAGPPHC 1; 2022 (2) SA 566 (GP) (13 January 2022) (saflii.org)
- Matter to be heard in the Constitutional Court on 15 November 2022. Some attorneys wait a lifetime to get to the Constitutional Court – It took her 8 years.
- Attorney of Record for OUTA/2000 Defendants against SANRAL before E-toll was scrapped by government.
Endorsement by a colleague:
Her entry was accompanied by the following letter from attorney, Mamosali Motsau, director of Motsau Mamosali Attorneys Inc:
“I met Andri Jennings through the mentoring lawyer’s group which is made up of over 250 young/old lawyers entering mostly requiring guidance in the profession. Andri regularly responded to queries by various attorneys such as myself who have (at 57 years) entered late in the profession and always posts questions on confusing legal practice, rules and case law we encounter in our daily lives of early practice. I often had to ‘direct message’ Andri who did not just explain but took the time in sending precedents where possible to guide and remove the confusion at hand.
I find her an extremely patient, friendly, an excellent “unpaid voluntary” mentor whose life mission is to guide and assist those in need of guidance in the legal fraternity. She selflessly provides her time and has always responded to any query I experience and other colleagues in this often daunting mine field of legal terms.
She can be described as a voluntary principal who has made it her life mission to guide those attorneys who have experienced a shortfall/gap in their candidate years. I know as an attorney I was not privy to 80% of information I have learned since coming across her acquaintance and value her lessons dearly.
My practice would not have survived thus far without her guidance. She continues to answer all group questions and directly messages those feeling embarrassed to further probe where matters cannot be discussed in open groups.
I continue to value her lessons and guidance and would recommend her to any position where her service are required to provide leadership and strategy. She is a selfless legal comrade and pray she remains so.”
Recommendation from a client:
We further received the following recommendation from one of her clients, Stephanie Fick, director of OUTA (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse).
“It gives OUTA great pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for Andri Jennings from Jennings Inc. OUTA has been working closely with Andri Jennings on various legal matters which include but are not limited the management all the e-toll litigation on behalf of OUTA supporters. In my capacity as the Executive Director of the Accountability and Public Governance division at OUTA, I can attest to Andri Jennings’s strong work ethic and the due diligence with which she executes her duties. She is dedicated and focused and provides OUTA with professional legal advice and legal services. Andri Jennings adapted easily to the pressures of OUTA’s workload. I admire Andri Jennings’s dedication to OUTA and her professional conduct. She has not only met all our expectations but has exceeded them. OUTA will gladly recommend Andri Jennings from Jennings Inc for all legal services.”
Contact details:
If you would like to connect with our 2022 winner to congratulate her or explore new instructions, you are welcome to email her directly at: andri@jinc.co.za