John Paul is a senior associate in our Technology, Media & Telecommunications sector group based in Johannesburg.

John Paul advises clients in various regulated sectors and markets including telecommunications and broadcasting, education, automotive and consumer goods. He acts for clients in judicial review and other proceedings in the context of regulatory matters and advises on broad-based black economic empowerment, a key issue for businesses operating in regulated sectors in South Africa. He also advises companies on criminal liability for non-regulatory offences.

Before joining Bowmans, John Paul worked as Senior Researcher at ALT Advisory (2019), as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional Public, Human Rights & International Law (a Centre of the University of Johannesburg, 2016), as lecturer at Strathmore University, Kenya (2015) and as Senior Research and Teaching Associate at the University of the Witwatersrand (2012‑4). John Paul completed his articles during 2017-8 and was admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2019.

John Paul is a member of the Global Business and Human Rights Scholars Association (Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University).

John Paul holds LLB (with Distinction), LLM in Public International Law and PhD (Corporate Criminal Liability in International law) degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Relevant Experience

• John Paul advised a major telecommunications company on the requirements under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and applicable Codes regulating the mandatory reporting of a transaction;
• He advised a large entertainment company operating in the gambling sector on the requirements under the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and applicable Codes regulating the mandatory reporting of a transaction;
• He has advised various companies on compliance with the type approval framework under the Electronic Communications Act, interconnection regulations, lawful intercept obligations under the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act;
• He advised a multinational beverage company in relation to the regulation of energy drinks in South Africa;
• John Paul was also involved in undertaking a comprehensive audit in terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act of three subsidiaries of a large media, entertainment and communications company involving the formulation of audit assessment criteria, the conducting of full-day on-site audits interviewing senior management and other employees and the drafting of audit reports with recommendations for the implementation of policies to facilitate compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act*;
• He assisted a large public sector entity to improve its transformation and empowerment strategy in procurement including its policy, processes and procedures so as to address transformation challenges in the construction and human settlements sector*; and
• He advised a large telecommunications company on the transformation imperatives on licensing under the Electronic Communications Act, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act and the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act*.

* Experience prior to joining Bowmans    

Publications & insights

• Corporate accountability in South Africa: sharpening the role of criminal law – South African Journal of Criminal Justice 29 (2016) 225
• Al-Bashir: what the law says about South Africa’s duties – The Conversation (2015)
• Liberalism and comprehensive doctrines: Deliberation about values through the idea of public reason’ Law and Religion in Africa – The Quest for the Common Good (SUN Press – Stellenbosch) (2015)
• Corporate criminal liability in international law for aiding and abetting international crimes (2015) University of the Witwatersrand Ph.D. Thesis

• South Africa: Spectrum Updates
• South Africa: Draft Treaty to regulate activities of transnational corporations may have far-reaching consequences
• South Africa: Films and publications amendment act comes into operation
• South Africa: Constitutional Court upholds declaration of invalidity of RICA
• Excessive pricing in South Africa in the age of COVID-19