Who Is Marc Aupiais | About our Editor

Marc Aupiais

LLB Law Graduate. Journalist. Editor. Aspirant Advocate at Law.

Location

Johannesburg Area, South Africa

Industry

Law Practice  

Marc Aupiais's Overview

Current

• Editor in Chief at SACNS News
• Correspondent in South Africa at Les News (A French language international news service based in Paris)
• Writer at InfosNews Breaking News

Past

• Class Representative for all learners at the day school plenary class. at LEAD: Legal Education and Development (Auckland Park) [Law Society Day School]
• Student Paralegal, Family Division at University of the Witwatersrand Law Clinic
• Web assistance, upkeep, technical advice. at ADHASA

• Class Representative elected unanimously by Students for Contract Law Class at University of the Witwatersrand
• Deputy Chair of the Executive Committee on Campus (elected unopposed and in first year) at Democratic Alliance Students Organization (DASO) at the University of the Witwatersrand
• Class Representative elected unanimously by Students for Global English Literature and Film Class at University of the Witwatersrand
• Leader at St John's Northriding YCK
• Student Key Holder at De la Salle Holy Cross College

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Education

• LEAD: Legal Education and Development (Auckland Park) [Law Society Day School]
• University of the Witwatersrand
• St John's North Riding Catholic Church

• Trinity House High School
• Trinity House School
• De la Salle Holy Cross College
• De La Salle Holy Cross College
• Roosevelt Park Nursery School, near Linden

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Connections

85 connections

Websites

• Personal Website
• Poetry
• Blog

Marc Aupiais' Summary

My greatest skill is in presenting myself and in presenting my views. In high school, all the children said I should go into law. In first year, I was instantly electable, often unanimously: to positions of authority, this continued in later years. I am told I come across as intelligent, presentable, and knowledgeable on subjects I speak of. I've been told that I take questioning well, and am at ease during a crisis.

I have a fascination with language, and have extensively investigated my own home language of English. I love to read, especially older books, and enjoy reading non-English works also. Law absolutely fascinates me, as do most of the workings of the world.

I have extensively investigated, where I can: the world's cultures, legal systems, morals, courtesy, language systems and intricacies, and religions: for the purposes of my own interests. In my spare time I have also written a number of novels, and edit a network of on-line informative services, which have had an unexpected proportion of success.

I consider myself a global citizen and a South African patriot, and have many connections in different countries across the world, who have aided me in better understanding other points of view.

I like to argue a controversial matter, and do not fear debate, nor do I easily fall into fear, when faced with a predicament.

I believe success requires more than hard work, it requires intelligence, perseverance, and where necessary, the assistance of those better versed in a matter than I am, which advice I am not afraid to seek out to better my argument, and where necessary: myself.

I especially have a passion for evidence law, and criminal law.

Specialties: web design, debate, negotiations, convincing hostile parties, law, branding and identity, economics, politics, political watching, geopolitics, defence monitoring, fact verification

Marc Aupiais' Experience

Editor in Chief

SACNS News

Educational Institution; 1-10 employees; Media Production industry
September 2007 – Present (6 years 9 months) Worldwide
The SACNS News Service has a global audience. Many other news services rely on it, and many journalists the world over take into account what appears on it. I am proud to have founded and to edit this exceptional entity.

'Accuracy without Harm... Truth intrepidly told... A striking spotlight on the beautiful and terrible events of humankind.'

It is something we hold ourselves to.

http://sacns.scripturelink.net/

The first article of the actual SACNS (15 September 2008) service began long after my first work on the larger network which eventually coalesced under it (In 2007 I began publishing the first research articles). A scholarly tradition from the earlier sites, of research, expertise, and critiques remains.

Correspondent in South Africa

Les News (A French language international news service based in Paris)

December 2013 – Present (6 months) Paris Area, France
Les News was founded 17 July 2009. With 280 k followers on Twitter including from the French political class, Les News has a reputation for breaking news fast. It first came to fame reporting on the Columbine massacre when others had yet to report on it globally.

What I report on is global, and very few of the many stories published with me in the via line are on South Africa, with most being about Europe or America. Much of the news I provide for Les News gets at least dozens of Retweets, with some getting in excess of 100. I am one of about 30 journalists of Les News globally.

'Les dernières informations du monde en français. Alerte, Flash info, Breaking news !
http://lesnewsfr.com'

Writer

InfosNews Breaking News

January 2014 – Present (5 months) France
I started my work here on 12 Jan 2014. It is a side project of Les News. InfosNews was founded 23 April 2011. I have taken over a primary role with InfosNews, and write most of the Tweets on their twitter breaking news site, for my bosses at France's Les News.

Temporary Class Representative for all learners at the day school plenary class.

LEAD: Legal Education and Development (Auckland Park) [Law Society Day School]

January 2014 – January 2014 (1 month) Auckland Park, Johannesburg
The lecturer for criminal court practice asked if we had a class representative. While the students at the school said I was the class representative for all the students in the day school: I stated that I had not been elected as such in any official capacity. The lecturer asked if students wanted a class representative, most shouted they wanted me to be so. One student said they would like their friend to be representative instead, so I requested we have a vote in case there be any dispute or hard feelings. The lecturer put one of the students, a man named Brendan in charge of the election, and three candidates including myself were nominated and seconded. One candidate got 6 votes (10 % of the students), and another got about 10 votes, however, the plurality of students by show of hands, again decided that I should be class representative, confirming the vote by voice earlier.
 When I brought the first major student issue to the attention of the director, she stated that the LEAD program did not have student representatives elected by majority, but rather selected from among the group leaders from groups which were to be created for groupwork. The group I was in chose another student as their group leader, and the group leaders and LEAD staff chose a class representative from among these in accordance with their procedures and informed us of those they had selected to fill class representative and deputy class representative from among these group leaders.
 My role thus had ceased to exist.

Student Paralegal, Family Division

University of the Witwatersrand Law Clinic

Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry
January 2013 – October 2013 (10 months) Empire Road and Yale Road, Johannesburg
My job was to act as a legal advisor, write memos, write legal letters, draft legal pleadings, communicate with clients and others, form legal opinions.

Area: Divorce, Custody, Status, Domestic Violence, Guardianship, Unmarried Fathers, Maintenance, Breach of Promise, Common Law Universal Partnership laws, Appointment of Receiver and Liquidator where needed, Post-Divorce, Annulments, Court Orders, and variation and nullification thereto.

I achieved 67% for the Practical Legal Studies subject this formed part of. One of my memorandums was considered useful enough that I was asked to produce a redacted version to be shared with other supervisors by my supervisor, to assist those faced with similar cases.

Web assistance, upkeep, technical advice.

ADHASA

2011 – 2012 (1 year) Johannesburg Area, South Africa
I acted as a consultant to ADHASA on technology and information technology. I assisted with their website and in their interplay with experts, in order to help them achieve their goals.

Class Representative elected unanimously by Students for Contract Law Class

University of the Witwatersrand

Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry
July 2010 – November 2010 (5 months)
During the currency of my 2nd year 2nd Semester at the University of the Witwatersrand, the Contract Law lecturer asked for the election of a class representative to represent our class's concerns as she succeeded our first semester contract law lecturer, half way through the year. I was readily elected. I interfaced regularly with the lecturer and my suggestions were generally followed, and the class concerns were relayed.

Deputy Chair of the Executive Committee on Campus (elected unopposed and in first year)

Democratic Alliance Students Organization (DASO) at the University of the Witwatersrand

June 2009 – March 2010 (10 months) Empire and Yale Road, Johannesburg
When I accepted the position, I was informed that I was the first ever First Year student ever to be elected to the position. As my grandfather was a politician for the Progressive Party, in Welkom, who campaigned on the platform that Apartheid was damaging the economy, I thought it interesting to join the student body of the Democratic Alliance, into which this party was later amalgamated. I spent half a year on the executive of DASO, a time in which I thoroughly utilised my political techniques, knowledge, and expertise to help insure we were optimally productive, and to prevent very present special interests of outside forces from crushing our mandate. I subsequently chose to resign at a bi-election after the already tenuous working of the executive collapsed due to differences between the then president and chairperson, whereby I was promoted from third to second in charge, and it appeared the committee had become defunct given we did not have the numbers in the executive to proceed normally. My resignation was almost immediately after registration for 2010, where I determined not to sign up for DASO but to become politically unaffiliated, given the DA's union with the Independent Democrats and my uncertainty as to the future direction of the party. I remain politically unaffiliated but involved in my community, which I think is possibly for me, a beneficial position, given the fast moving, often changing political climate in South African politics. When I do vote I vote on the merits of a candidate in a particular political contest and not due to any loyalty to one or other party. I pride myself in my respect for the views of people who either support the various parties as well as those who support none, or who vote based on a particular candidate or other, and I believe our diversity as a nation, and our ability to vote for the party of our choice are vital institutions of a democracy, despite my unaffiliated, but politically involved status.

Class Representative elected unanimously by Students for Global English Literature and Film Class

University of the Witwatersrand

Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry
February 2009 – November 2009 (10 months)
The University of the Witwatersrand desired to have a class representative to interface with on matters of concern and asked students to elect one. I was elected unanimously by several hundred students present. I was elected to this esteemed position by students in the First Year Global English Literature and Film class. My task was as liaison between the students and the applicable department of the university's staff. I furthermore was tasked by the university with the responsibility to remain aware of any changes in venue and of the curriculum and any matters which might arise which could be of concern, or affect the welfare of the students enrolled in the course, I would then be required to assist the other students with these and other matters of concern. I fulfilled my duties to the best of my ability, and believe I was effective as Class Representative.

Leader

St John's Northriding YCK

June 2007 – June 2009 (2 years 1 month) Northriding, Johannesburg
As a requirement of confirmation into the Catholic Church, I was required to serve my community in some way or other. I originally intended to attend YCK (Young Christian Kids) as an assistant to the leaders for such purpose, however when my required time was finished I was approached by Amanda, the person in charge, to continue, and to be brought on formally as a leader as I was seen as very effective in leadership. Others who had assisted for confirmation purposes were not asked to stay on. I thought it over and decided to continue on as a leader, a position which entailed planning, catering, day to day running, and involvement in the planning meetings to insure we remained on track and were prepared and organised for a particular year.

I assisted in insuring the weekly smooth running of the YCK, which included providing games and entertainment for children, and conflict prevention management so as to prevent fighting and bullying when problems emerged.

The YCK further involved discussions on the importance of family, good behaviour, good life choices, and involved discussions of the basics the Catholic religion to which I belong, and the meaning of religious holy days such as Christmas.

Student Key Holder

De la Salle Holy Cross College

February 1998 – November 1998 (10 months) Victory Park
I was appointed to this position by the Grade 2 teacher, as students sometimes left their possessions in class accidentally, and the teacher did not desire to leave the door unlocked. The Grade 2 teacher requested that I keep the classroom key during break time in case there was some student emergency. This is a role I held for most of my Grade 2 year of schooling, until the end of the year. This was one of my first positions of responsibility. I was 7-8 years of age.

Marc Aupiais' Volunteer Experience & Causes

• Volunteer Interests

  • Causes I care about:

    • Disaster and Humanitarian Relief
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Science and Technology

  • Organizations I support:

    • Catholic Relief Services
    • ADHASA

Marc Aupiais' Courses

• LLB 4 year, Law, English

  University of the Witwatersrand

  • Delict (Laws2003)
  • Insurance (Laws3002)
  • Negotiable Instruments & Banking Law (Laws3005)
  • Business Entities (Laws3010)
  • Constitutional Law (Laws3011)
  • Introduction to Law (Laws1006)
  • English Global Literature and Film (Eng1003)
  • Introduction to Constitutional Law (Laws1002)
  • Foundations of South African Law (Laws1004)
  • Persons & Family Law (Laws1005)
  • Customary Law (Laws1003)
  • English Literature in Context (Eng1001)
  • Criminal Law (Laws2001)
  • Contract (Laws2002)
  • Succession (Laws 2004)
  • Legal Information Literacy (Laws2005)
  • Criminal Procedure (Laws3031)
  • Jurisprudence (LAWS2017)
  • Property (LAWS3029)
  • Public International Law (LAWS3030)
  • Evidence (LAWS3032)
  • Civil Procedure (LAWS3033)
  • Forensic Medicine (FORM 4005/1)
  • Administrative Law (LAWS 4060)
  • Special Contracts (LAWS 4056)
  • Appropriate Dispute Resolution (LAWS 4043)
  • Practical Legal Studies (LAWS4003)
  • Competition Law (LAWS4045)
  • Environmental Law (LAWS4047)
  • Insolvency Laws (LAWS4050)

Marc Aupiais' Publications

• The Tempest and the Hurricane

  • scripturelink.net
  • January 1, 2008
  Authors: Marc Aupiais
  My extensive knowledge of and deep passion for language is on display within my poetic and other works on this website.

• SACNS News Service

  • SACNS News Service
  • September 15, 2008
  Authors: Marc Aupiais
  ~The SACNS News Service
  'Accuracy without Harm... Truth intrepidly told... A striking spotlight on the beautiful and terrible events of humankind.'

Marc Aupiais' Skills & Expertise

1. Web Design
2. Programming
3. Research
4. Fact checking
5. Blogging
6. Public Relations
7. law
8. legal
9. journalism
10. internet
11. computers
12. Microsoft Office
13. Journalism
14. Pathology
15. Legal Drafting
16. Drafting Pleadings
17. Legal Letter Writing
18. Legal Research
19. Legal Writing
20. Legal Advice
21. Legal Assistance
22. Legal Documents
23. Legal Issues
24. Criminal Law
25. International Law
26. Family Law
27. Administrative Law
28. Web Content
29. Editing
30. Publishing
31. Books
32. Politics
33. Proofreading
34. Copy Editing
35. Freelance Writing
36. Editorial
37. Press Releases
38. Contract Law
39. Strategic Communications
40. Management
41. English
42. Human Rights
43. Speech Writing
44. Investigative Reporting
45. Legal Translation
46. Public Speaking
47. Storytelling
48. French
49. Courts
50. Document Drafting

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Marc Aupiais' Languages

• English

  (Native or bilingual proficiency)

• Spanish

  (Limited working proficiency)

• French

  (Professional working proficiency)

• Afrikaans

  (Limited working proficiency)

• Zulu

  (Limited working proficiency)

• Latin

  (Elementary proficiency)

Marc Aupiais' Education

LEAD: Legal Education and Development (Auckland Park) [Law Society Day School]

I enrolled in the 6 Months day course (January to June 2014), Practical Legal Training, Bar Exams contents, ethics, day to day, court process, trial advocacy, etc

2014 – 2014 (expected)
The Legal Education and Development school was established by the Law Society of South Africa, with the statutory function of substituting one year of article clerkship with six months of consistent examination and training in the practical aspects of a legal career. In a sense it is a respected trade school set up for statutory purposes of insuring lawyers are well trained in the day to day matters in running a practice and in managing and arguing a case. I was accepted to the 6 month day school course at LEAD.

It allows 6 months intensive training, as a substitute, in order to take a year off of clerkship under the requirements to become an attorney, and also can provide experience should an individual desire to be admitted to pupillage to become an advocate, and this course also qualifies a person to write the Law Society board exams after completing it.

Activities and Societies: Labour Law

University of the Witwatersrand

LLB 4 year, Law, English

2009 – 2013
Grade: I qualified for my degree in 2013, and have graduated Bachelor of Laws LLB.
My grandparents on my mother's side, my mother, and sister attended Wits. I determined also to attend this esteemed educational institution.

I was accepted to the most difficult law degree, the LLB or Legum Baccalaureus.

In first year I was unanimously elected class representative in Global English Literature and Film by several hundred students. I was also the first ever First year to be elected to the executive of a specific political party on campus. In subsequent years I was continually elected to positions of responsibility and leadership.

While I did engage in sports: tennis and Kayaking among others, I preferred to do so outside of campus. I have a K1 River Kayak, and also joined a tennis club outside of university.

I consistently spent much of my free time bettering myself and my general and specific knowledge outside of university, including by means of on-line learning via coursera, and I additionally edited and reported for SACNS as a journalist.

Activities and Societies: DASO, ACTS

St John's North Riding Catholic Church

Confirmation, Catholicism, life Skills, Christian Faith

2007 – 2009
Grade: Confirmed
Confirmation is a religious ceremony for Catholics to enter or confirm their desire to be a part of the Catholic Church. It involved training in being a good South African citizen, bible study, ethics classes, classes referencing South African law. and the study of Catholic social doctrine and morality, as well as classes on marriage, and on being respectful to your partner and yourself and considerate in a romantic relationship. Community service and attendance of a camp which entailed prayer, confession, meditation, study of the Mass (Catholic church service), etc. were also mandatory.

Activities and Societies: YCK, Stations of the Cross, Weekly lessons on Tuesday afternoon, education on abortion, discussions on faith, God, Society, History, sexual education, mandatory attendance of confirmation camp, to learn about the Mass.

Trinity House High School

Matric, IEB Curriculum

2004 – 2008
Grade: Passed with university exemption.
As I had attended Trinity House School, I continued onto Trinity House High School.

Like the junior school it had a very high academic standard even for a private school. Dress was formal and always strictly enforced upon students, and the school was very disciplined.

I did well academically, despite the high standard demanded of students.

When we as a class read Shakespeare, I impressed my fellow students with my public speaking skills, and also gained a reputation for being able to do group-work report-back as well as ordinary speeches off the cuff, and in what I was told was an impressive manner. My ability to argue a point and detailed knowledge of history caused other students at this school to suggest that I go into law as my career.

Activities and Societies: Chess club, Field Hockey

Trinity House School

Primary education / Junior School, IEB Curriculum

2001 – 2003
Trinity House School had a very high academic standard even for a private school. Dress was formal and enforced. Students underwent regular and extensive academic testing to insure they were up to standard for examinations. In English class reading fiction books was encouraged as a necessity. Zulu and Afrikaans were studied from Grade 1 at a high standard.

I received +-90% in Zulu in my final year at Trinity House school, and also succeeded in passing Afrikaans at the higher level demanded by this school. I played Cricket at Trinity House School.

Activities and Societies: cricket

De la Salle Holy Cross College

Primary education, general

1997 – 2000
Having attended De La Salle Holy Cross College for Grade 0, I began my academic career in Grade 1 in this long established learning institution. It focussed on English language ability, especially speech giving ability, on mathematics, computer science, and on history.

In art class, we were taught the history of art, and the meaning of paintings and symbols. We copied the Old Masters, sculpted, painted, did cross-hatch, worked with wire, and created organic art via a small enclosed tree atrium. We also had a field trip to an art museum.

Activities and Societies: wrote book in extra mural class with teacher and few other students in Grade 2, soccer, cricket, extra mural math puzzles

De La Salle Holy Cross College

Grade 0, learnt to sing in latin, did a play

1996 – 1996
Students were taught to sing songs in Latin and other languages, and there was also a Christmas play.

Activities and Societies: Church, choir, play on nativity

Roosevelt Park Nursery School, near Linden

general, pottery, Papier-mâché, sandpit castles, naps, music, painting, drawing, art

1994 – 1995
Classes involved singing of songs as a teacher played on the guitar, games, story telling, arts and crafts, painting, creation of large Papier-mâché artworks, drawing, and so forth.

Activities and Societies: pottery, paper mache, sandpit castles, naps, music, painting, drawing, art

Marc Aupiais' Additional Information

Websites:

• Personal Website
• Poetry
• Blog

Interests:

Law, Geopolitics, intra and inter-politics, economics, social issues, history, Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, myths and legends, literature, music, history, geography, writing systems, language, linguistics, world religions, cultures, genealogy, psychology, International law, Treaties, conflict history, Kayaking, Golf, digital photography, web design, design, language studies, stenography.