- Practitioners greet one another warmly and treat colleagues like family, creating a respectful and welcoming court environment.
- Social connection before and after hearings reduces hostility and builds healthier litigation relationships.
- The culture in Polokwane shows that professionalism is strengthened by humility, not ego.
At the Limpopo High Court Division, held at Polokwane, the most impressive thing was not a dramatic judgment or a tense legal argument. It was the humility of the practitioners.
From the corridors to the courtroom doors, legal practitioners greeted one another with warmth and familiarity. There was a human and brotherly feel that immediately softened what is often seen as a hard and intimidating profession. Advocates were helpful and down to earth. I applauded that culture, Bakone.
A culture of greeting and belonging
All legal practitioners greeted and showed love. It sounds simple, almost too small to matter, yet it changed everything. Conversations happened naturally. Laughter travelled easily through the hallways. Even those who appeared for the first time did not feel like outsiders. There was an unspoken understanding that everyone belonged.
I personally do not understand the personality of some legal practitioners who walk into court and keep quiet like corpses killed by hunger. Our profession is too noble to be marred by weak personalities or by those who behave either superior or inferior. The law demands confidence, but it also demands humility. We are colleagues first. We must be brotherly.
Polokwane has many warm-hearted practitioners. I saw two senior counsel engaging and socialising with everyone, juniors and seniors alike. No airs. No barriers. The feeling created made one belong fittingly. Watching practitioners socialise before court was awesome because it reminded me that the law is practised by people, not robots.
Building bridges beyond litigation
The beauty of our noble profession lies in relating to one another and reaching out in order to build bridges. Those bridges matter more than we often admit. They create healthy litigation relationships for the future and reduce unnecessary hostility between opponents.
You cannot afford the mistake of distance and silence as a lawyer. Isolation may look serious, but it weakens you. This profession depends on networks, mentorship and mutual respect. Today’s opponent may be tomorrow’s ally or co-counsel.
A lawyer must not act like a brainless bodybuilder who enters a gym with headphones on, focusing only on muscles and sets. In this profession, you will need every legal practitioner you meet. You will be wrongly advised if you believe that you can practise in isolation and silos. The mistaken advocate is the one who is aloof and distant, believing independence means disconnection.
Brotherhood at the bar
The concept of brotherhood runs deep in the legal fraternity. Judges address one another as brother to men and sister to women. Even at the highest level of our courts, they speak of supporting my brother or my sister. There is a reason we refer to each other as my learned friend. The phrase carries respect, equality and shared purpose. Only a foolish friend never meets or greets other friends.
We greet and appreciate one another even after losing a case. We still talk and laugh. We understand that what happens in court is professional, not personal. Our fights are governed by the ethics and morals of the profession. We can fight the hardest battles during litigation, but once we go off record, we smile again. That maturity protects both the profession and our own humanity.
A reminder of what the profession should be
The Limpopo Division reminded me of the essence of building bridges within the legal profession. It reminded me that dignity is quiet and that strength does not require arrogance. Humility commands more respect than ego ever will.
If you are too shy to relate, then perhaps focus on being an IT specialist who speaks only to computers or choose another path. Here, connection is part of the job. Here, people will greet you and talk to you. A judge may even ask whether you have spoken to one another before you litigate. That expectation alone tells you what kind of culture exists.
Let us keep moving and growing. One day, we will get there.
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