Royal seal of assent for Jeremy

HONOUR: Jeremy Gauntlett SOUTH Africa will have a new practising Queen’s Counsel for the first time in many years after senior counsel Jeremy Gauntlett was approved to be appointed a QC by Queen Elizabeth.

Gauntlett’s investiture, following the recommendation of UK Lord Chancellor Elizabeth Truss, will take place at the Palace of Westminster, London.

Prominent cases in which Gauntlett has appeared include the Walmart and CocaCola mergers, and he has represented presidents FW de Klerk, Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma and the National Treasury.

He recently appeared for Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan against the Gupta-owned Oakbay group of companies.

A Queen’s Counsel is an eminent lawyer appointed by the Queen to be one of “Her Majesty’s Counsel learned in the law”. QC is a status recognised by Commonwealth courts.

Appointments are made from within the legal profession based on merit rather than level of experience. However, successful applicants tend to be barristers with 15 years of experience or more.

Gauntlett said: “I’m deeply honoured. But my commitment to legal life here in South Africa remains unchanged: it’s my home, and focus.”