Professional background and experience:

Shamain is an attorney with a background in labour and family law. She is a commercial mediator accredited by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) and an accredited assessor and moderator with the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). For the past 20 years, Shamain has been a part-time senior commissioner with the CCMA and several bargaining councils, focusing on workplace conflict resolution, mediation, education, training, and development. She has also been appointed as a Magistrates Court mediator.

Shamain holds a B. Proc from Unisa and an MA (cum laude) from University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She is a member of the Legal Practice Council (LPC). She also studied at the University of Oxford, participating in the prestigious Management programme at Green Templeton College as a Leyland Scholar, and completed a certificate in English Law at the London School of Economics. Shamain was an acting judge at the Labour Court for six months between 2023 and 2024.

Mediation experience and style:

Shamain is passionate about mediation, with a specific focus on business, commercial, employment, family and medico-legal issues. She is committed in her mediation practice, which has included extensive service on the mediation panel of the CCMA, to practice impartiality, collaboration, efficiency and clarity in her communication, at every level. To date, Shamain has mediated hundreds of cases, with a settlement rate of around two out of three of her cases.

Chairing enquiries and investigations experience:

Shamain has over two decades of experience chairing disciplinary enquiries in both the public and private sectors. She is a senior commissioner for dispute resolution agencies including Equillore, Conflict Dynamics, Muslim Mediation Arbitration Council (MMAC), JFKS Consulting, the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA), Mediate Works, Temnotfo Training and Ilanga. Her approach is non-formalistic and relaxed, ensuring clients comfort, although also maintaining accuracy regarding legal requirements and technicalities, to avoid unforeseen consequences and costs associated with court processes.

Shamain has worked with parties across multiple sectors to prevent workplace disputes by facilitating training in negotiating skills, managing conflict in the workplace, and building workplace relations. Shamain also trains CCMA users and corporate clients on the Labour Relations Amendment Act, Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value, and the National Minimum Wage Act, among other topics. 

Facilitation experience and style:

Shamain has facilitated sessions with groups ranging from four to eighty people, aiming to enhance performance and remedy relationships. She has worked with diverse groups, including union officials, shop stewards, employer organizations, religious groups, feuding family members, and healthcare workers. Her facilitation focuses on fostering harmony and consensus among parties involved, to avoid serious and potentially destructive issues from arising or continuing. 

Coaching experience and style:

Shamain coaches individuals and teams in negotiation and mediation, guiding them through preparation and the unfolding process. Her extensive training, negotiation, and mediation experience enables her to provide practical guidance and support. Shamain's positive, open-minded approach allows her to connect with people on a personal level, offering calming and validating support tailored to their needs. 

 Comments from clients:

“You were like a breath of fresh air.”

“You have the tenacity to see the process through completion.”

“You are a professional who exercises ethical principles.”

“Cleary has the resilience to traverse the journey with the parties, professionally and skilfully.”