LPC tribunal finds ‘prima facie evidence' against attorney Kamillah Paulse
Asif Casoogee, who has been locked in a four-year legal battle with his former spouse over access to their two children.
In a significant ruling, the Appeals Tribunal of the Legal Practice Council (LPC) has upheld a misconduct complaint brought by Johannesburg-based father, Asif Casoojee, against attorney Kamillah Paulse of Herold Gie Attorneys.
Casoojee has been locked in a four-year legal battle with his former spouse over access to their two children. Kamillah Paulse represents his spouse.
Casoojee reported Paulse to the LPC, accusing her of dishonesty, unethical and dishonest conduct, including orchestrating parental alienation, misusing the Protection from Harassment Act, and unlawfully interfering in his private and professional affairs.
The case not only raises serious questions about the conduct of legal professionals in family law matters but also highlights the ongoing challenges faced by fathers in the South African legal system when fighting for contact with their children.
In its findings delivered on 13 March 2025, the Appeals Tribunal found that Casoogee had presented prima facie evidence of misconduct on both counts raised in his appeal.
Casoogee's first charge related to a final protection order obtained by Paulse against him in her capacity. According to the Tribunal's report, the order was granted in his absence, allegedly due to defective service of the interim order, which had neither been delivered by SAPS as required nor included a return date.
The second charge was more serious: a conflict of interest and interference in the parental relationship between Casoogee and his children. The tribunal said it found prima facie proof of Paulse's involvement in restricting Casoogee's access to his children's school, records, and communication, stating that her actions amounted to 'parental alienation'.
The tribunal also flagged her alleged use of unlawfully obtained financial records and her participation in a private WhatsApp group discussing confidential details of Casoogee's company. The Appeals Tribunal, chaired by Advocate Sonja Lötter, was critical of Paulse's failure to address key concerns.
''This is not an answer to the evidence that the complainant has presented,' the tribunal said, adding that the children's best interests were not prioritised in any of the extensive litigation between the parties since 2021.
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