Retired Judge Zak Yacoob Inspires Emeris Law Students During Freedom Day Lecture

Retired Constitutional Court Judge Zak Yacoob not only inspired Faculty of Law students and staff at Emeris during a recent Freedom Day Lecture but also challenged them to use their legal skills to help shape a more just society.

Hosted by the Faculty of Law and the Community Law Clinic at Emeris Durban North, Judge Yacoob spoke about the role of lawyers in changing society and urged the future legal professionals to understand the broader context in which the law operates.

“As you grow older and as you become a lawyer, you’ll understand that one of the basic things a good lawyer must understand is that context is everything. Nothing has any neutral static, especially in law,” he said.

Visually impaired since he was 16 months old due to meningitis, Judge Yacoob spoke candidly about his experience of living and working without sight.

“It was a positive for me because when you become blind later in life you tend to say, ‘Oh I missed out, I wish I could see’. For me, being blind is normal life. I don’t care whether I’m able to see or not and I’m comfortable as I am,” he said.

He also reflected on the challenges he faced entering the legal profession, including struggling to secure serving his Articles despite approaching multiple firms.

“Practising as a lawyer was difficult because I was a blind person. I went to 35 attorneys looking to serve my Articles and couldn’t get accepted anywhere because they said they didn’t have space,” he said.

Despite these setbacks, Yacoob built his career through persistence and a commitment to making a difference.

“My lawyering was not about making money, it was about using my skills to change society,” he said.

He urged the future legal professionals to use the law as a tool for empowerment, particularly in a country where many continue to face poverty and inequality.

“Poverty is the greatest disability one can ever have… Helping people and bringing them cases that improve their quality of life is making a very important contribution to society,” he said.

The lecture was particularly meaningful for the Faculty of Law, which this year welcomed its first visually impaired law student Tanuja Patel (first year IIE Bachelor of Laws (LLB) student Emeris Durban North). Judge Yacoob met with Patel and offered words of encouragement.

Nicole Laljit (Senior Attorney and Director of the Community Law Clinic at Emeris Durban North) said Judge Yacoob’s engagement brought constitutional principles to life. “He encouraged our students to think beyond theory, toward the ethical responsibilities of legal practice,” she said.

“My key takeaway was that impactful lawyers are grounded in personal integrity and a genuine commitment to justice in everyday actions, reinforcing the importance of developing both skilled and principled legal professionals,” Laljit added.

Theané Janse van Rensburg (third year IIE Bachelor of Laws (LLB) student at Emeris Durban North) said the lecture exceeded her expectations. “He spoke about the importance of constitutional values and being a democratic lawyer in a new South Africa. If we don’t stay up to date with new trends and understand the law and practise it effectively, we’ll fall behind,” she said.