Experience, insight and exceptional skills: former Acting Judge joins Beech Inc as a new director

A legal career does not always follow a straight line, says Gloria Phajane, and for the highly experienced employment and labour lawyer, the twists and turns of her own journey have given her plenty to bring with her to a new chapter.

After more than two decades in legal practice spanning life as an attorney and advocate, as well as time on the bench as an Acting Judge of the Labour Court of South Africa, Gloria is embarking on the latest stage of her career as a new director at leading mining, natural resources, energy and infrastructure firm Beech Incorporated. “After practising as an advocate, I’m incredibly excited to be returning to my roots and joining Beech Inc,” she told Africa Legal.

“It feels like a new chapter, but with a wealth of experience, perspective and lessons from the journey in between,” she added. “I’m excited to take that experience with me into the next chapter.”

Gloria practised as an attorney for 14 years, before joining the Bar as an advocate in 2017. Her extensive labour and employment practice saw her appear before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), bargaining councils, the Labour Court, Labour Appeal Court and Constitutional Court. She represented clients and chaired disciplinary enquiries, while her broader practice has encompassed labour litigation and arbitration, incapacity enquiries, workplace investigations, collective bargaining, employment contracts, organisational restructuring, and strategic employment advice.

She has also advised public and private sector clients on high-profile employment disputes, governance issues and workplace risk management.

Her career took another turn when she was appointed an Acting Judge of the Labour Court in 2021, adding the perspective from the other side of the courtroom to her extensive experience as a legal practitioner. Her appointment at Beech Inc now brings together those varied strands of her career.

“Sometimes a career isn’t a straight line – and that’s the beauty of it,” shared Gloria with Africa Legal. “I’m embracing the pivot, the learning, the challenge and, most importantly, the opportunity. New chapter. Same passion for the law.”

Beech Inc CEO Warren Beech said Gloria’s depth of experience would further strengthen the firm’s ability to assist clients with increasingly complex workplace issues. “We are delighted to welcome Gloria to Beech Incorporated,” he said. “She is a highly respected legal practitioner whose depth of experience, strategic insight and exceptional advocacy skills will further strengthen our practice.”

Gloria shares Beech Inc’s commitment to delivering practical, commercially focused legal solutions, added Beech. “Her appointment enhances our ability to support clients in navigating increasingly complex workplace and employment law challenges. We are excited to have her join our team.”

Beech Inc specialises in the mining, natural resources, energy and infrastructure sectors, with a multidisciplinary team structured to provide clients with flexible, practical and commercially focused legal support. Its approach centres on responding to clients’ particular needs while remaining mindful of fee sensitivity.

Gloria’s arrival as a director adds significant specialist employment and labour law expertise to that multidisciplinary offering. Workplace relations, governance, restructuring and employment disputes can be significant considerations for businesses operating across Beech Inc’s core sectors, alongside the wider regulatory, commercial and operational challenges they face.

For the new director of Beech Inc, her new move brings together experience gathered from several different vantage points (as attorney, advocate, Acting Judge), as she takes on the next stage of a legal career whose varied path Gloria now sees as one of its strengths.

For more information on Beech Incorporated visit here.