Lebo Smith (Motelle), completed her high school in South Africa before moving to England. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in law at higher education institutions within Birmingham (UK). She came back to South Africa to further her postgraduate studies in Labour Law at the University of Witwatersrand, it was there where she developed an interest in Environmental Law. She was appointed as a Research and Teaching Associate within the School of Law, and later became a sessional lecturer for Introduction to Law and Business Enterprise Law.