Samantha Sinden is a Director in the Telecommunications, Media & Technology practice area. She specialises in the regulatory and compliance aspects of media and communications law and has experience in competition law, consumer protection law and music copyright. This includes advising on all aspects of licensing and regulation of audio and audiovisual broadcasting services; broadcasting signal distribution; electronic communications and transactions; consumer protection compliance; copyright compliance and liaison with collective management societies; and laying and defending complaints of alleged anti-competitive conduct (e.g. cartels and abuse of dominance). Samantha has also provided media and communications regulatory, competition law advice, music copyright, and consumer protection law advice in numerous jurisdictions in Africa (including multi-jurisdictional and pan-African matters), with a particular focus on Angola; Botswana; Mozambique; Namibia; Nigeria; Tanzania; Zanzibar; and Zimbabwe.
Years of Experience: 10 years
Digital Media & Electronic Communications
Technology & Innovation
Media and communications law, including:
broadcasting (on a variety of platforms, including terrestrial, satellite, mobile and internet)
broadcasting signal distribution
telecommunications (electronic communications)
print
Electronic transactions
Regulation of the internet and social media
Music rights law
Related areas of expertise, including:
constitutional law
competition law
administrative law
intellectual property law
consumer protection
Extensive ongoing media and communications regulatory and related advice in numerous jurisdictions in Africa, including multi-jurisdictional and pan-African matters, with a particular focus on Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe
Administrative and regulatory law
Electronic Communications Law
Broadcasting Law
Telecommunications Law
Regulatory issues
Compliance audits and compliance programmes
Consumer Protection Law (in South Africa as well as in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe)
Music Rights Law (in South Africa as well as Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria and Tanzania)
Media and communications regulatory law in South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zanzibar
LLB (cum laude), University of the Witwatersrand, 2009
Admitted as an Attorney, 2012
Certificate in Economics for Law, University of the Witwatersrand, 2013
2012: Associate, Werksmans
2014: Senior Associate, Werksmans
2019: Director, Werksmans
Nominated as a stand-out lawyer in the Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers – independently rated lawyers database, 2022
Listed as a rising star in Euromoney's Rising Stars Awards EMEA 2021 in the (1) Practice Area Awards, Competition & Anti-trust category and (2) Jurisdiction Awards, South Africa category
Joint winner of the 2010 Juta Prize for best article published by a candidate attorney in De Rebus during 2010, for the article ‘Fighting corruption: Section 34 of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act’ in 2010 (August) DR 22.
Certificate of Merit for the most distinguished performance in the course Sale and Lease, 2008
Certificate of Merit for the most distinguished performance in the course Public International Law, 2008
Council Member of the Wits Law Students Council, 2007 to 2009
Johannesburg 
+27 11 535 8334 
+27 11 535 8534 
