David F. Smuts

Smuts, Namibia's foremost human rights lawyer when South Africa was fighting to continue controlling the country, was called to the bar and became founding director of Namibia's Legal Assistance Center. He also helped found Namibia's first independent newspaper. Smuts defended numerous anti-apartheid and anti-occupation prisoners before Namibia became independent. He became a judge of the High Court before joining the Supreme Court as a justice. He has law degrees from Stellenbosch University and a LLM degree from Harvard. Smuts has contributed significantly to the development of human rights jurisprudence in Namibia and to the stature of that country's apex court.