This month we chat to Siyamthanda Buku, who is an attorney and entrepreneur. Siyamthanda is the CEO and founder of both Buku Law Legal Solutions and SB MVA Specialists, Medical Negligence & Legal Consultancy in the Eastern Cape. She is a Personal Injury Lawyer who specializes in Medical Negligence, Motor Vehicle Accidents and various other areas of the law such as Contracts, Family Law and Administration of Estates.
FWIL
What inspired you to study law?
SB
Since I was a little girl, the idea of becoming a lawyer was always on my mind. I always wanted to become an agent of change, to make a difference in people’s lives and towards our society. I also had a dad who always pushed the idea of going to law school because of the passion he had about the law and therefore wanted his daughter to become an attorney. Also, growing up I always had a good relationship with books, I just loved to read.
FWIL
What inspired your decision to start Buku Law Legal Solutions, what are some of the challenges that you faced and how did you overcome them?
SB
I would say the decision to start my own firms was something that was already planned out while I was still in Law School. I had always known that starting my own firm would enable me to give back to our communities. It has always been my mission to take my skills back to the communities to make them easily accessible to the most vulnerable. The challenge that came with starting my own firm was capacity, accessing the resources that I needed. This a common challenge for anyone starting a business, but you find a way to get through it.
FWIL
As a woman in law, have you experienced gender bias? Please tell us about the challenges, if any, that you have faced.
SB
I have not experienced any such bias personally. Where I come from this is something that even men would speak against, but I am well aware that this profession is still male dominated and gender bias does exist.
FWIL
What does being an alpha female mean to you and would you describe yourself as one?
SB
Well, I would like to think that an Alpha female is an embodiment of strong qualities that identity a woman and I therefore, see an Alpha in every woman.
FWIL
Do you identify as a feminist? (Why/why not)
SB
No, I do not consider myself as a feminist at all, I do not believe in placing myself in a category or identify myself as this one thing yet I do recognize the importance of gender equality.
FWIL
The journey of most legal professionals is not always easy. What are some of the lessons you have learned along the way and how have they shaped your outlook on life?
SB
Precisely, the journey of a legal professional is not easy at all. I had to make a lot of compromises along the way. There were many late nights of studying and working on assignments. I hardly had any time for social distractions. What kept me going was a sense of discipline, persistence and focus towards my goals. The journey itself has humbled me in so many ways, in a good way. Humanity was key.
FWIL
What is the best advice you would give to a woman in law?
SB
My advice would be, let us consider the needs of our communities. Let us put first the interests of the less fortunate and show compassion towards them. The majority of people in our communities are unable to afford or access legal service and therefore it remains imperative for us to bring our services to them and ease the access.
FWIL
What attributes do you think every young lawyer must have?
SB
Have determination. This will help to withstand whatever adversity that comes your way. It is always crucial to keep a positive outlook.
FWIL
As a legal professional, it is quite important to effectively use your network. How do you meet other professionals and what are some of your effective networking skills?
SB
Networking is very crucial and that is why I became a member of NADEL, The National Association of Democratic Lawyers and also make sure to attend other relevant law related conferences from time to time.
FWIL
What does the term “role model” mean to you? Is there a particular woman in your life that you consider a role model?
SB
A person that I would consider my role model would be someone I could identify with. someone who has overcome adversities to achieve their goals. I draw inspiration from those phenomenal women and fortunately, I do have one of them at home, my mother.
FWIL
What books have you read that have greatly influenced your life?
SB
There are quite a few that I have read that have influenced my life, my perspective about life and contributed towards my development. I would like to name a few, Race matters by Dr. Cornel West and I write what I like by Steve Biko.
FWIL
What is a quote that you live by? Your mantra
SB
”All you ever wanted is within you, you can make it happen, do it now”
FWIL
What is your take on mentorship and are you open to mentoring young lawyers or law students?
SB
Mentorship for aspiring lawyers is crucial and therefore I do have law students that I am mentoring at the moment.
FWIL
How can people reach out to you? (social media handles)
SB
LinkedIn – Siyamthanda Buku
Instagram – @
Twitter – Missbuku
missbuku_lawyer
Facebook Page – Siyamthanda Buku (Official)