Simbarashe (“Simba”) Gomwe, a UCT Class of 2020 LLB graduate (cum laude) and Klaus-Jürgen Bathe Scholar, is now a Structured Finance Associate at Linklaters in London and a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. It’s a professional path that began taking shape during his time at UCT, where he combined strong academic performance with consistent involvement in student leadership.

Simba grew up across several countries as his father moved for work, an experience that first drew his attention to the operation of law in everyday life. “Contracts shaped where we lived, the opportunities available, and the systems we moved through,” he recalls. That early awareness made law feel both practical and meaningful and UCT - already familiar through siblings and other Zimbabwean UCT Law alumni - became a natural place to pursue a law degree.

During his LLB, Simba took on several leadership roles, including serving as Head Student of Leo Marquard Hall and later as Treasurer of the Law Students’ Council. He also participated in Student Parliament, the residence governance system, faculty committees and several societies, which he describes as central to building networks, gaining perspective and understanding how institutional environments work.

For international students, opportunities in the South African legal market can be limited. Simba’s approach was to treat university as an environment in which to create opportunities rather than wait for them. Engagement in governance structures, academic tutoring and community-oriented leadership roles kept him, in his words, “close to where decisions were being made” and exposed him to areas where he could contribute meaningfully.

A turning point came when he was selected for the Linklaters African Clerkship, a four-week programme in London that brings together students from African, Australian and Indian universities for work experience at the global law firm’s head office in London. The clerkship led to a training contract offer, after which Simba completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Law (with Distinction) and Legal Practice Course (with Distinction) in the UK before qualifying as a solicitor.

Since joining Linklaters, Simba has worked across teams and jurisdictions, including a legal secondment at the Bank of England, before settling into his current focus on structured finance. His interest in commercial and project finance, first ignited at UCT, aligns with his long-term goal of contributing to infrastructure and renewable-energy development across Africa. Simba is currently seconded to the Linklaters’ Dubai office.

Reflecting on his journey, he emphasises steady engagement rather than single turning points: “Opportunities usually come from the work you’ve already been doing, not sudden moments. Care about the people you work with, care about your community, and take your responsibilities seriously. That foundation is more valuable than chasing titles.”

Simba remains connected to UCT Law and continues to follow developments in commercial and financial regulation in Southern Africa. His trajectory is a reminder of the complex pathways navigated by UCT’s international graduates, and also how global firms increasingly draw talent from African law schools.