Chairperson – JHB.
MICHAEL POWER.
Michael is the Chairperson of Power Law Africa and a Director of Power & Associates Inc.
Recent work.
Advising the Association of Independent Publishers on the establishment of the USD6m Digital News Transformation Fund
Presenting a series of written and oral submissions to the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry initiated by South Africa’s Competition Commission.
Appearing before the Constitutional Court of South Africa in cases concerning access to information for people with visual and print disabilities, and the surveillance of journalists.
Preparing a series of legal frameworks for the participation of civil society organisations in the work of the African Union.
Supporting litigation at the European Court of Human Rights on the right to privacy.
Amplifying voices for change.
About Michael.
-
Michael is an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (with Right of Appearance) and a Director and Co-founder of Power & Associates Inc., the South African Office of Power Law Africa. He serves as the Chairperson of the Power Law Africa Alliance.
He holds B.A., LL.B. (with Distinction), and LL.M. in Public International Law (with Distinction) degrees from the University of Witwatersrand, a Certificate in International Trade Regulation from the University of Bern, and an Executive M.B.A. from the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town.
Alongside his focus on ethical leadership and the development of impactful and sustainable organisations, Michael specialises in strategic and test case litigation, negotiations and strategy, policy development, and communications, in the areas of constitutional and administrative law, information rights and media law, public international law and policy, and social enterprise and CSO law.
Michael has represented and advised individuals, activists, journalists, publishers, social enterprises and civil society organisations, philanthropic organisations, and international and multilateral institutions, which include various agencies of the United Nations and organs of the African Union.
He has appeared in high profile matters before multiple courts and tribunals in South Africa, including the Constitutional Court, multiple divisions of the High Court, the Competition Commission, and the Press Council, and he has engaged with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee and Council. He has also supported litigation at the European Court of Human Rights.
Michael is also the Executive Chairman of ALT Advisory (2017-), a public interest advisory and research firm which works in association with Power Law Africa, and acted as an adviser to the International Network of Civil Liberties Organisations (INCLO) in its Civic Space thematic area (2017-22).
Before forming Power & Associates Inc. and Power Law Africa, Michael practised constitutional and international law at the Legal Resources Centre (2012-14; 2015-17), and he clerked at the Constitutional Court of South Africa (2014, Justices Bess Nkabinde and Steven Majiedt) and the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Johannesburg (2011, Justice Kathleen Satchwell).
Working for a sustainable future.
Team.
