Karin Klazen joined Ellis Shilengudwa Inc in 2011 as an Attorney in the Litigation department where she has since litigated in a wide scope of civil and commercial matters in both the High Court and Supreme Court of Namibia.
She advises and litigates on a wide array of matters including administrative law reviews, employment disputes, construction industry disputes, admiralty claims, defamation matters, medical negligence claims, family law disputes, liquidation matters and high-profile criminal matters.
Karin has also advised a myriad of international clients on the employment framework in Namibia and has successfully served as a dispute resolution attorney for international and local companies in commercial and labor-related matters. Karin is also a court-accredited mediator of the High Court of Namibia.
Experience has included advising:
- A local private equity fund in a first of its kind arbitration matter against the largest pension fund in Namibia
- The National Fishing Corporation of Namibia in urgent high court proceedings regarding the allocation of fishing quotas
- Local fishing companies in urgent proceedings in the high court to declare unlawful a nationwide strike by employees of the respective companies
- International and local clients on their constitutional rights in a large-scale tax appeal against the Namibian Commissioner of the Inland Revenue
- A Namibian national electricity supplier on an administrative law matter relating to a controversial tender project for the supply of electricity in Namibia
- The Office of the Attorney General on the award of a national fuel storage tender
- The Namibian National Student Financial Assistance Fund during the disciplinary proceedings, urgent high court proceedings, and review proceedings against its suspended chief executive officer
- The Bank of Namibia in urgent high court litigation dealing with contravention of local exchange control regulations
Professional qualifications
- Legal practitioner admitted in the High Court of Namibia (2009)
- Qualified court-connected mediator (2015)
Education
- University of Cape Town, South Africa, LL.B. (2008)
- University of Cape Town, South Africa, Bachelor of Arts (2005)
Prior experience
- 2017 to date, Director, Ellis Shilengudwa Inc., DLA Piper Africa member firm in Namibia
- 2011 to 2017, Senior Associate, Ellis Shilengudwa Inc., DLA Piper Africa member firm in Namibia
- 2009 to 2010, Associate, Namibian-based law firm