Dave Loxton, an attorney at ENS Africa, didn't decide to become involved in IT security, he morphed into the space through his clients' needs.
Cyber crime is rife, and as an attorney specialising in business crimes investigations; and fraud risk assessment and prevention for a variety of clients across a multitude of sectors, Loxton says he has received more and more instructions from clients requiring assistance in that space.
"I am not a technical expert, although I am pretty computer literate, but I guide the investigations around what is legally permissible."
He began his career a state prosecutor, having graduated from UCT with a BCom LLB. He prosecuted all the ' street crimes' such as rape, murder, robbery, theft, as well as fraud, forgery and suchlike, and also litigated and specialised in employment law when he went into private practice, before starting the white collar crime practice areas at two other law firms in SA.
"I have also spent time in commerce as an in-house adviser with a blue-chip listed entity, after completing my MBA. I joined ENS as a director and co-head of forensics in November 2014."
Lack of resources
Speaking about what he loves about his work, he says: "I love the fact that I am doing some good for the people of SA by helping investigate and prevent fraud and corruption. I also love training young lawyers and watching them grow."
On the flip side, he cites as a frustration the lack of resources in the State to take the work done by Loxton's team and see it through to a successful conclusion, namely prosecution. "I also find it very frustrating when clients second-guess what you are doing, and try and engineer a result."
An opportunity for law firms
For Loxon, the defining moment in his career was when he was practising employment law and a client needed advice on a matter where a team of accountants had done the investigation. Loxton was asked to take it over and recover monies, get the individual dismissed, and put in jail.
"When I saw the extent of the work that still needed to be done, I saw an opportunity for law firms to play in a space dominated by the big four accounting firms. I then started the forensics practice area in my then firm."
Talking about what he might have done differently, Loxton says: "I think when looking back on my career I missed out not practising in an overseas jurisdiction. I have travelled extensively, but I think the experience of actually practising law in a different country would have been of great value."
He sums up his career in one sentence. "Constantly re-inventing, always looking to grow, and constantly remembering how important friends and family are in all aspects of one's life, including career."
Loxton will be presenting at the ITWeb Security Summit 2016 at Vodacom World from 17 to 18 May on why SA is seen as a haven for cyber crime.
Share