Adv Jacques du Preez

Chief Executive Officer, FW de Klerk Foundation

Adv Du Preez was educated at Centurion High School and holds an LLB degree from the University of Pretoria and a Master’s Degree (LLM) in Public Law from the University of Stellenbosch. As part of his postgraduate studies he completed international criminal law training at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania.

He practised as an advocate and member of the Cape Bar from June 2007 until May 2011 – when he joined the Foundation’s Centre for Constitutional Rights as Operational Officer. During the following three years he made a valuable contribution to the CFCR’s activities – particularly in the areas of human rights monitoring, reporting and advocacy and in preparing submissions to Parliament and human rights bodies on draft legislation and human rights violations.

He resumed his practice as advocate of the High Court between June 2014 and May 2018 – after which he took up an appointment in Switzerland as Legal Training Director at International Bridges to Justice – an international NGO based in Geneva. In this capacity, he directed and facilitated international criminal justice, rule of law, trial advocacy and human rights skills training initiatives and workshops in conflict and post-conflict countries. Working with various justice sector stakeholders Jacques has trained justice officials in Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Syria and the Philippines.

Jacques is a former mentor with the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a member of the Association of Defence Counsel practicing before the International Criminal Tribunals in the Hague, an affiliated expert with the International Nuremberg Principles Academy (Nuremberg) as well as rostered counsel with the United Nations Ombudsperson’s Office for the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al’Qaida Sanctions Committee.

Jacques has also represented South Africa internationally in England and France in the sport of Biathle (Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne).