The Family Attorney Who Answers the Midnight Call
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Family attorney Karlien Botma has spent nearly 15 years running her own practice, doing work that rarely fits office hours. In this episode of Meet My Business she talks with Hendrik Baird about protecting children and women at their most vulnerable — from divorce and children's court to protection orders and the night she drove out to a client caught in a domestic violence crisis.
She traces her path from a schoolyard defender of the bullied to a family law specialist trained at North-West University, and speaks honestly about a strained court system, clients who can't always afford help, and the hard truth that leaving an abusive relationship often takes several attempts. It's a frank, compassionate look at what family law really involves.
Reach Karlien Botma at Botma Attorneys — karlien@botmalaw.co.za / 072 899 3144 / karlienbotma.co.za
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, support is available. In South Africa, the GBV Command Centre operates 24/7 on 0800 428 428.
She traces her path from a schoolyard defender of the bullied to a family law specialist trained at North-West University, and speaks honestly about a strained court system, clients who can't always afford help, and the hard truth that leaving an abusive relationship often takes several attempts. It's a frank, compassionate look at what family law really involves.
Reach Karlien Botma at Botma Attorneys — karlien@botmalaw.co.za / 072 899 3144 / karlienbotma.co.za
If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse, support is available. In South Africa, the GBV Command Centre operates 24/7 on 0800 428 428.
Chapters
- 00:00 Cold open — the midnight domestic violence call
- 00:59 Welcome & who is Karlien Botma
- 02:00 A typical day, and balancing family
- 02:35 From schoolyard defender to attorney
- 04:08 Why family law and children's rights
- 05:03 Studying at North-West University, Potchefstroom
- 05:56 What her daughters think she does
- 07:34 What it takes to start a law practice
- 08:48 The reality of the early days
- 10:11 Working within a strained court system
- 12:54 Almost 15 years in practice
- 13:03 How the law still humbles her
- 14:25 Explaining family law in plain terms
- 15:03 Walking a client through the process
- 16:42 Attorney vs advocate
- 17:43 The biggest misconception (it's not Suits)
- 18:44 Doing the work solo
- 19:37 How she uses AI in her practice
- 20:30 What changes for a client afterwards
- 23:07 Why leaving takes five or six attempts
- 24:05 Referrals and being the single point of contact
- 25:01 How the midnight crisis was resolved
- 28:12 How to reach Karlien
- 29:30 Closing
