Our Team
Nurina Ally, Director
Nurina Ally is the Director of Centre for Law and Society and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Law. She is a specialist in constitutional and administrative law, and her research interests include movement lawyering, public interest litigation, socio-economic rights and children's rights. Prior to joining the Faculty's Department of Public Law, Nurina served as the Executive Director of the Equal Education Law Centre, a public interest law organisation based in Cape Town. Before this, Nurina practised as an associate and senior associate in the public law department of Webber Wentzel Attorneys. She has also served as a research clerk to Justice Cameron and Acting Justice Mhlantla of the Constitutional Court.
Nurina obtained her BA and LLB undergraduate degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand, where she graduated as the most distinguished scholar in law. She also holds a Masters degree in African Studies from the University of Edinburgh as well as a Masters of Studies degree in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University.
Jemima Thomas, Administrative Officer
CLS Administrative and Finance Officer. Jemima joined CLS in July 2013 responsible for the management of the Centre's budgets and timely reporting of financials to our funders.
Research Associates
Rebecca Gore
Rebecca Gore is a Research Associate at the Centre for Law and Society. Rebecca obtained her Bachelor of Social Sciences (PPE), Post-graduate Honours (Transitional Justice) and LLB from the University of Cape Town. Rebecca also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from Harvard Law School, where she was awarded the Henigson Fellowship for her demonstrated commitment to international human rights work and the Dean’s Scholar Prize from Harvard’s International Human Rights Clinic. Previously, Rebecca was the legal researcher for the Inspecting Judge of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services, Justice Cameron, and a law clerk at the Constitutional Court in the Chambers of Justice Cameron, Justice Majiedt, and Justice Mhlantla. She has interned for The Presidency of the International Criminal Court in The Hague and various public interest organisations in South Africa. Rebecca’s research interests are broad and include criminal justice reform, gender-based violence, international law, human rights, constitutional law, and constitutional theory.
Tatiana Kazim
Tatiana is a Senior Legal Researcher at the Equal Education Law Centre and is responsible for managing the research team. Her research encompasses education, early childhood development, and other socio-economic rights. She sits on the steering committee of the Real Reform for ECD Campaign and chairs the legal subcommittee.
Tatiana is currently studying for an LLD in Public Law with Professor Sandra Liebenberg at Stellenbosch University. Her doctoral studies focus on the obligations of private actors in relation to socio-economic rights. She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law (LLM-equivalent) and an undergraduate law degree from the University of Oxford and a politics and philosophy degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Before joining EELC, Tatiana worked as a Research Fellow at the Public Law Project in the UK. She has also been a judicial assistant at the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and a legal assistant at the Law Commission of England and Wales.
Student Assistants
Kyla Damonse
Kyla Damonse is currently pursing an LLB at the University of Cape Town. She recently completed postgraduate degrees in economics. Her research interests included policy for agricultural development and deployment of renewable energy technologies. Her current interests include children’s rights and socio-economic policy.
Kyla recently completed postgraduate degrees in economics and is currently pursuing an LLB at the University of Cape Town. Kyla’s research interests include policy for agricultural development and deployment of renewable energy technologies, and her current areas of focus include children’s rights and socio-economic policy.