Christian de Jager is the first student at UWC to graduate with a Master of Laws in International Trade, Investment and Business Law, Magna Cum Laude. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

Christian de Jager’s path to his LLB and eventually his Master of Laws first began with his studies in bioscience, and once he achieved that, there was no stopping him. De Jager became the first University of the Western Cape (UWC) student to graduate Magna Cum Laude with a Master of Laws in International Trade, Investment and Business Law at the 2025 Summer Graduation on 11 December 2025. 

His thesis is titled, An Exploration of the Conduct of Business, Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Crypto Assets in South Africa. 

De Jager stops short of admitting that he was almost born and raised on the UWC campus; his mother, Prof Kitty Malherbe, is an Associate Professor at the UWC Law Faculty.  He said: “In many ways, I grew up at UWC and sometimes I would wait for her while she was lecturing. I’ve always loved UWC and the campus very much.” 

However, the study of law was not something he wanted to pursue immediately after high school. De Jager wanted to explore other academic curiosities and enrolled in the Bachelor of Science: Biotechnology programme. 

He said: “It is one of the best science departments in the country and I completed my Bachelor's in Science there and I really enjoyed it. Ultimately, though, I did always want to study law because initially I wanted to be a Patent Attorney.”

Christian de Jager is invested by his mother Prof Kitty Malherbe. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

He completed his LLB and graduated in 2023, Magna Cum Laude, an academic standard he had no idea he was setting.  “At first, I gained some experience and worked briefly at a law practice and then returned to UWC as a research assistant at the Centre for Transformative Regulation of Work (CENTROW),” said de Jager. 

But he was more than just a little curious about the fast changing world of Fintech and Crypto Assets and then enrolled to do his Masters and make that his focus. 

He said: "I was drawn to it because of the enthusiasm of my supervisors, Dr Albert Puja and Prof Vivienne Lawack, who are experts in the field. Even though we in South Africa have come quite far with how we regulate our financial regulation of crypto assets, I have to praise, for example, those involved for making great progress in a very short amount of time. But it was still relatively fragmented.” 

De Jager’s academic journey is a testament to curiosity, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence. From biotechnology to law, and finally to pioneering research in crypto asset regulation, his achievements reflect not only personal ambition but also a commitment to shaping the future of legal frameworks in emerging technologies. As UWC celebrates this historic milestone, De Jager’s story stands as an inspiration to students who dare to explore beyond boundaries and redefine what is possible.