Ben Winks is an independent advocate based in Johannesburg, South Africa, specialising in media, constitutional and international law.

Ben provides advisory and advocacy services to a wide range of clients (individual and corporate, private and public sector, local and multinational), with a leaning towards defending the underdog against bullying behaviour (whether from governments, corporations or individuals).

Striving to simplify the law, Ben presents and publishes regularly in the media and academia on a wide range of legal issues.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Johannesburg (2007) and an Advanced Master of Laws (LL.M. Adv.) in Public International Law (cum laude) from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands (2010), as a FirstRand Laurie Dippenaar Scholar.

In 2011, Ben served at the Constitutional Court of South Africa as a law clerk to Justice Thembile Lewis Skweyiya and Acting Justice Khayelihle Kenneth Mthiyane (Deputy President of the Supreme Court of Appeal and Chairperson of the Electoral Court).

From 2012 to early 2016, Ben practised in the litigation department of Webber Wentzel, a leading law firm. He was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2014 and granted right of appearance in the Superior Courts of South Africa in 2015. 
In 2016, Ben joined the international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, and helped to establish its Johannesburg office. 

In 2017, Ben was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa. He is a referral advocate and may only be briefed by attorneys.

Since 2021, Ben has served as a Public Representative on the Panel of Adjudicators of the Press Council of South Africa.