Azhar Aziz-Ismail
Biography
Azhar is an attorney qualified to practice in South Africa and a seasoned Knowledge Manager with experience working across Africa. Azhar is an in-market Knowledge Manager at Baker McKenzie in South Africa. He has experience in dispute resolution, risk management, privacy & data protection, knowledge management, legal technology, legal delivery, professional services strategy, digital transformation and innovation. Azhar is an executive member of the Gauteng Attorneys Association (GAA) and Johannesburg Attorneys Association (JAA), heading their Knowledge, Legal Technology & Innovation portfolios. Azhar is also chairperson of the JAA. Azhar has also earned the Certified Generative AI Expert™ certification from Blockchain Council and was recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans in 2025 within the Justice category.
Representative Legal Matters
- Delivered seminars around Legal Technology, AI in Law, and the Responsible, Appropriate & Ethical use of AI in Law across Southern Africa
- Co-hosted and delivered a legal technology bootcamp for Legal Advisors, General Counsels, and Legal Executives across Africa
- Part of the legal team that defended a multinational airline in a multimillion-rand personal injury claim, in the High Court of South Africa*
- Part of the legal team that assisted a multinational insurer in defending an insured property development corporation against a professional liability and personal injury claim, in the High Court of South Africa*
- Part of the legal team that defended a financial consultancy firm against various professional indemnity allegations lodged at the FAIS ombudsman*
- Part of the legal team that defended an international insurance company in a multimillion-rand aviation dispute before the Supreme Court of Appeal*
- Part of the legal team that assisted a multinational company in an aviation related dispute in arbitration proceedings*
- Part of the legal team that represented a prominent aviation company in a pure economic loss claim in the High Court of South Africa*
- Part of the legal team that defended a multinational aviation company in a multimillion-rand claim in the High Court of South Africa for damages and loss of support following a helicopter crash*
- Assisted a prominent insurance brokerage in providing advice on an internal mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy*
- Advising on and negotiating various commercial contracts in relation to the procurement of various services and resources*
- Advised on the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) position relating to interest, and whether a South African bank account in which funds were frozen would be eligible to earn a profit in terms of Shari’ah compliant banking*
- Advising on practical application and compliance of data protection and privacy laws (the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA))*
* Experience obtained prior to joining Baker McKenzie
Professional Honors
- Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans 2025, Justice Category
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Legal Practice Council (LPC)
- Law Society of South Africa (LSSA)
- Blockchain Council
- International Legal Technology Association
- American Bar Association (ABA)
- Compliance Institute Southern Africa
- Organisation of South African Law Libraries (OSALL)
- Johannesburg Attorneys’ Association (JAA)
- Gauteng Attorneys Association (GAA)
Admissions
- South Africa (2020)
Education
- University of Oxford, Saïd Business School (Oxford Leading Professional Service Firms Programme) (2023)
- Legal Technology & Innovation Institute (Legal Technology & Innovation Certificate) (2022)
- University of Johannesburg (Certificate in Compliance Management) (2020)
- University of Johannesburg (LLB) (2018)
- Regent Business School (Higher Certificate in Islamic Finance, Banking & Law) (2016)