What qualifications do you need to be a lawyer in South Africa?
The South African law requires that a lawyer obtain a law degree, work several years in a legal setting and pass an admissions exam. You must also be at least 21-years-old and a citizen or legal resident of South Africa.
Study options
You will need to enrol for and complete a four-year LLB degree, which is the minimum requirement. You also have the option of completing a BCom degree before the LLB degree but this is not compulsory.
The Qualification of Legal Practitioners Amendment Act of 1997 stipulates that an LLB degree is required to practise law in South Africa. The degree must be obtained from an accredited South African law school at one of the various universities or colleges in South Africa.
The LLB degree usually takes four years to complete and the BCom plus LLB degrees five years. If you obtain a law degree outside South Africa, you will have to contact the National Forum of Advocates (NFA) to verify whether your degree is recognised as equivalent to an LLB in South Africa.
Vacation work
In your pre-final year of study, or even as early as the end of your second year of study, you will need to apply direct to law firms for work experience during the July or December holidays. Most of the larger law firms in South Africa offer such work experience for a two- to three-week period.
This work experience will be a valuable addition to your CV and is a great opportunity to learn how law firms operate on a daily basis; to find out more about the area of law you would like to work in; and to add to your contact list.
You can speak to a Robert Walters legal recruitment specialist for more information on law firms that offer work experience vocational programmes.
Articles of clerkship
After successful completion of your law degree, you will need to work at a law firm as a candidate attorney under the guidance of a practising attorney before you will be allowed to practise as an attorney yourself. According to the Attorneys Act, a candidate attorney must successfully complete two years of his Articles of Clerkship while still attending law school part-time. Alternatively, a candidate attorney can attend law school full-time for another year.
Update your CV
You will need an updated CV to apply for vacation work experience and an appointment as an articled clerk. Robert Walters legal recruitment specialists can offer advice on how to make your CV stand out, as a strong CV is vital to success. Here are some quick tips:
- Your CV is a marketing tool to help you get your foot in the door. You therefore have to sell yourself, as it were. Give specific information and examples of your achievements in your CV.
- Highlight your strong points. Finding work in the legal field is very competitive even at this stage and you will be competing against many other candidates with similar CVs. Concentrate on achievements that make you stand out.
- Be succinct and to the point. Your CV will not be given much time to impress – employers tend to scan rather than read them. The best CVs typically contain only details of education and work experience.
- Avoid typing errors and spelling and grammar mistakes at all costs. If English is not your first language, ask the Robert Walters legal recruitment specialists to refer you to a language practitioner who can edit your CV for you.
Improve your interview skills
Interviews need not be as nerve-wracking as they are made out to be, as interview skills can be taught. A few simple guidelines can take you a long way. For tips on how to prepare for a job interview, download the Robert Walters Interview Guide.
Register your contract
Make sure your contract is registered with the law society of the province in which you are working, within two months of starting your period as an articled clerk. Also make sure that the contract is backdated to the commencement date of this period so that you do not lose the two months’ experience you have already completed.
If you are not registered as a candidate attorney, this time you have spent working will not be recognised by the court once you apply to be admitted as an attorney.
Practical legal training (PLT) at a law school
PLT is a compulsory course in practical legal training, teaching you legal skills and preparing you for your board examination. You need to complete your PLT before you can be admitted as an attorney.
Board examinations
After your PLT course, you will write your board examinations. These can be written every February and July/August. In total, you have to pass four board examinations, namely Estates, Bookkeeping, Attorneys’ Practice and Court Procedures. You can choose when you will write which examination as long as you pass all four.
Being admitted as an attorney
Once you have completed your PLT and passed your board examinations, you are entitled to apply to the court to be admitted as an attorney. You will need to prepare your application for admission and your principal will be required to sign your confirmatory affidavit.
Source: Robert Walters
How much does a lawyer earn in South Africa?
This is how much money lawyers earn in South Africa
| In-house – Commerce and Industry | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10+ years’ post-qualified experience | R1 400 000+ |
| 6-10 years’ post-qualified experience | R950 000 – R1 400 000 |
| 3-6 years’ post-qualified experience | R750 000 – R950 000 |
| 1-3 years’ post-qualified experience | R500 000 – R750 000 |
| In-house – Financial Services | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10+ years’ post-qualified experience | R1 400 000+ |
| 6-10 years’ post-qualified experience | R1 000 000 – R1 400 000 |
| 3-6 years’ post-qualified experience | R650 000 – R1 000 000 |
| 1-3 years’ post-qualified experience | R450 000 – R650 000 |
| Private Practice | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Director (10+ years’ post-qualified experience) | R2 000 000+ |
| Partner (7-10 years’ post-qualified experience) | R1 400 000 – R1 800 000 |
| Senior Associate (5-6 years’ post-qualified experience) | R900 000 – R1 400 000 |
| Associate (3-4 years’ post-qualified experience) | R740 000 – R900 000 |
| Associate (0-2 years’ post-qualified experience) | R580 000 – R740 000 |
What Exactly Does a Lawyer Do?
A lawyer gives legal advice to people, government agencies, and businesses and offers representation to them when needed. They prepare legal documents and interpret laws, regulations, and rulings.
A lawyer can specialize in many different areas of this profession. For instance, they may choose to specialize in a certain area of law such as criminal law, defense, prosecution, tax, or environmental law. Lawyers mostly work indoors and in office buildings, however, some travel may be required when meeting with clients or attending court hearings.
How many years does it take to study law in South Africa?
The LLB Law Degree should be completed in four years, however, should you attend the BCom Law Degree, in addition, it can take up to five years. If you graduate with a law degree outside of South Africa, you will have to contact the NFA to verify whether your degree is equivalent to an LLB in South Africa.
What is required to study law in South Africa?
The degree must be earned at an accredited law school in South Africa. … Subjects that are needed to become a lawyer in South Africa include Foundations of South African law, South African private law, constitutional law, criminal law, intellectual property, evidence and African Customary Law.
What subjects do you need to study to become a lawyer in South Africa?
Most law schools require a bachelor’s degree for admittance. Although no specific degree or set of courses is required for admission, certain courses can be helpful. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, classes in English, public speaking, government, history, economics and mathematics are useful.
How much do lawyers earn in South Africa?
At the other end of the scale, candidate attorneys can expect to earn between R250,000 and R300,000 a year at top law firms. Below BusinessTech looked at the full range of average salaries legal professionals can expect to earn in 2024. The averages represent annual salaries in thousands of rands (R’000).
How much do lawyers earn in South Africa?
The median salary of a lawyer is approximately $9,938 a month, which amounts to $119,250 a year.
Is maths required for law in South Africa?
Lawyers do not have to be expert mathematicians; they do not even have to know calculus. However, all lawyers should have a solid understanding of complex math, accounting and algebra to fulfill their job requirements. Furthermore, scoring well on the LSAT entrance exam requires some math understanding.
Is a law student classified as a lawyer in South Africa?
In general, the law student is not authorized to practice law by the Supreme Court in the jurisdiction where you are residing. Lawyers have a qualification that allows them to practice law, that does whatever legal service you need. A non-lawyer cannot represent you in court.
Do lawyers who own private practices or partners in law firms have a higher salary?
Partners in law firms generally earn more than lawyers who own private practices.
Do you need maths to study law in South Africa?
Most universities in South Africa require Mathematics for their courses. Engineering, medicine, sciences, and commerce generally require their students to have a thorough understanding of Mathematics up to Grade 12. Even some Humanities and Law courses require you to have an understanding of mathematics.
Can I study law at Unisa without matric?
No, you cannot study at Unisa without a matric. You should have the best topics in matric. With Unisa and all our Universities there depend on ten prospects for each readily available seat. Even if you pass matric with great marks and the ideal subjects, you are still not ensured entry at a university.
What are the 4 types of laws?
There are four different types of law, criminal, civil, common and statuate.
What does LLB stand for?
Latin, ‘Legum Baccalaureus’LLB’ is the abbreviation for the Bachelor of Laws. The degree abbreviates to ‘LLB’ instead of ‘BL’ due to the traditional name of the qualification in Latin, ‘Legum Baccalaureus’. ‘Legum’ is the plural of ‘lex’, meaning law, while ‘Baccalaureus’ is the origin of the term ‘Bachelors degree’.
Is law school difficult in South Africa?
Law school isn’t difficult to attend but very competitive. Most of the students in your law school are going to have the same undergraduate GPA and the same LSAT score. A single law school exam will determine you grade for most of your classes. So, while you don’t have much homework, every single person in your class will affect your grades.
Where To Study Law In South Africa?
The admission requirements for legal practitioners (attorneys or advocates) in South Africa are currently prescribed by the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 and the Rules promulgated in terms of the Act..
There are a few Law schools within South Africa that have law and related courses. Below is the list of institutions providing training in law or related career paths in South Africa.
South Africa School of Paralegal Studies
Johannesburg School For Legal Practice and Learning
University of Fort Hare Faculty of Law
University of Johannesburg Faculty of Law
University of KwaZulu-Natal Faculty of Law
University of Limpopo Faculty of Law
University of Zululand Faculty of Law
University of Pretoria Law school
Monash South Africa Law school
University of Cape Town Law School
University of South Africa Law School
University of Western Cape Faculty of Law
Rhodes University Faculty of Law
Tshwane University of Technology School of Law
North-West University Law School
Stellenbosch University Faculty of Law
Nelson Mandela University Faculty Of Law
University of the Free States Faculty of Law
University of Venda School of Law
How to Become a Lawyer in South Africa
A lawyer spends an average of 7 years in college. This breaks down into 4 years of undergraduate school and 3 years more of law school. A bachelor’s degree is required to enter law school with preferable courses in English, public speaking, government, history, economics, and math.
Most law schools require an applicant to take a Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). To finally become a lawyer, most states and jurisdictions want a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree, and then you must pass the bar exam.
The admission requirements for legal practitioners (attorneys or advocates) in South Africa are currently prescribed by the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014 and the Rules promulgated in terms of the Act…read more here
Job Description of a Lawyer
Lawyers represent clients in civil or criminal trial and present evidence for their defense. They also advise their clients on their legal rights or obligations and counsel them on the best way to precede according to their legal circumstances. A lawyer conducts research on legal issues and is qualified to interpret laws, regulations, and rulings. They draw up legal documents like wills, deeds, contracts, lawsuits, and appeals. They may also oversee legal assistants or paralegals.