Winifred Botha

Winifred Botha joined the Office of the County Counsel in 1999.  Winifred started her legal career as a prosecutor, trying hundreds of cases, including complex homicide, robbery, fraud, burglary, and industrial crimes.  She next worked as a law clerk, attorney, and partner at several law firms in Alaska and California, where she handled a large variety of civil-defense lawsuits, including products liability, personal injury, and insurance bad faith cases. 

At County Counsel’s Office, she started as a litigation attorney, defending the County in a variety of lawsuits, including 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil-rights violations, dangerous condition of public property, and employment cases.  Winifred was promoted to Lead Deputy County Counsel in 2002, overseeing the Litigation Team, and to the position as an Assistant County Counsel in 2005.  As an Assistant, Winifred was part of Executive Management, overseeing many practice areas, including litigation, land use and planning, worker’s compensation, probate, and disaster planning.  In 2019, Winifred decided to return to litigating cases as a Deputy County Counsel.  Winifred’s professional expertise includes complex litigation in state and federal courts, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 litigation, and tort litigation.   

Office practice areas

Education

• University of South Africa, LL.B., 1984 
• University of Pretoria, B Juris, 1980 (Merit Award) 

Prior experience

• Partner and Associate at Williams, Pinelli & Cullen, San Jose, California (1997-1999) 
• Attorney at Green, Chauvel, Descalso and Tully, San Mateo, California (1995-1997) 
• Attorney at Popelka, Allard/Jones, LaMore, et al., San Jose, California (1989-1995) 
• Law Clerk at Staley, DeLisio, Cook & Sherry, Fairbanks, Alaska (1986-1989) 
• Advocate at Supreme Court of South Africa (1984-1985) 
• Control Prosecutor of Regional Courts; Regional Court Prosecutor; Control Prosecutor of Prosecutions; Statutory and Industrial Court Prosecutor; District Court Prosecutor, South Africa (1979-1984)