Local lawyer makes waves

Mariselle Stofberg The friendly and savvy Nicole Kloppers is a mother of two who took a leap of faith in opening her own law firm, which she is managing successfully, while dedicating herself to her family. “I have a passion to help people, travel the world and explore different cultures, because you can learn from people and their experiences.”The Namibian born and bred Kloppers completed primary school at Holy Cross Convent and matriculated from Jan Möhr in 2005. “After school I was, like many other young people, uncertain of what to study. I then decided to take a gap year and went to live in Washington DC for a year, which later became two years, doing au pair work.”Kloppers learnt various life lessons during her time abroad. ‘Truly wonderful experience’“It was a truly wonderful experience. I had to adapt to the fast-paced American life and culture. It made me realise that life doesn’t wait on you. You must work hard in order to succeed, and all things are possible, so never doubt yourself.”Upon her return to Namibia, she decided to study law at the University of Namibia in 2008. “I started with my Baccalaureus juris degree for three years, graduated in 2010 and then proceeded to complete my bachelor of laws (LLB) degree for two years, graduating in 2012.”In 2013, she started her articles at the Justice Training Centre and started working at as a candidate legal practitioner at Rix & Company. They assisted her with her application to be admitted as a legal practitioner.During her studies, Kloppers especially enjoyed international law and commercial law. Juggling act“A big challenge for me was completing my articles and juggling working full-time and having classes at night, but that thoroughly prepared me for a career in the legal fraternity,” she said. “At Rix & Company, I practiced mainly on insurance recoveries, matrimonial law and debt collection. “I learnt the valuable lesson from Mrs Rix, founder of Rix & Company, who is also a woman and a sole practitioner, that you can balance it all, have your own law practice, be a wife and mom,” she said. From August 2015, she had the opportunity to work for Cronje & Co., which specialises in company and corporate law - the perfect opportunity for her to broaden her skills as a legal practitioner. Kloppers was able to gain more experience in civil litigation, debt collection, insurance recoveries, company law and commercial law. Learning from a mentorThroughout her career she realised the importance of a mentor.“Having a good mentor is an important factor on your career path. Both my previous employers and supportive family played a vital role in forming the legal practitioner I am today.”In 2017, she left her full-time employment to assist her husband with his business ventures. They operate several SME businesses in various industries. “I had a passion for law and continued to practice as a legal practitioner on a part-time basis while assisting my husband. In April 2018, I started my law office, Kloppers Legal Practitioners, which started as a home office, but I realised the growth of my business and in November 2019, I decided it was time to move away from home and moved to an office at Maerua Mall.”The power of balanceKloppers is now practicing alone with a candidate legal practitioner, Petra Christians, and office secretary Hilya Niilenge. She was assisted by Teriny Rieth, who held the position of professional assistant at the firm for the past two years, but has since, August 2020, followed in the Kloppers’ footsteps to open her own law firm.Not only has Kloppers dedicated herself to her career, but she has also shown the power of balance, becoming a mother of two in the first two years of her young growing practice. She also served as a board member of a state-owned enterprise from 2017 until March 2020. Making a differenceWith her friendly, outgoing personality, Kloppers enjoys communicating with people from all walks of life. She is also committed to making a difference in her community. She said she believes a good lawyer can be compassionate, but also realistic. “I am a lawyer who understands people and I provide my clients with real and frank advice to solve problems efficiently and practically. “My Christian values, which include kindness, honesty, frankness and humility, form the foundation of not only who I am, but how I do my work,” the powerhouse said. She strives to grow her practice and other business ventures with her husband. “I hope to continue to create employment opportunities and grow our economy. I also aspire to continue to share my skills and knowledge with others now and in the future.”

Local lawyer makes waves

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-10

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Local lawyer makes waves

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-10

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