A lawyer is generally someone who works in the legal field. It is a legal professional with an LLB degree who practices law. Advocates and attorneys are both lawyers, however a lawyer is not always an advocate or an attorney.
It is critical to understand that legal secretaries, paralegals, and legal assistants are not lawyers. Consider taking the Conveyancing for Legal Secretaries (Paralegals) course at the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law to become a conveyancing secretary in South Africa.
Following the completion of your LLB degree, you have two options: become an attorney or an advocate.
In South Africa, who exactly is an lawyer?
To qualify as an attorney, you must have an LLB degree, have completed two years of articles, and have been admitted as an attorney by the High Court of South Africa. Learn how to become a lawyer in South Africa.
During their two years of articles, candidate attorneys often earn a low income.
Writing the four attorney admission tests is an important aspect of becoming an attorney.
1st Paper: Court Procedures
Paper 2: Estate Administration
Paper 3: Legal Practice (Ethics)
Accounting Paper 4
Passing these exams is difficult and needs extensive preparation. Attend the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law’s Attorneys’ Admission Exam Course to help you prepare for these tests.
In South Africa, what is an advocate?
Advocates are courtroom professionals who present and argue cases. Advocates are typically self-employed and members of their local Bar Council. After becoming a member of the Bar, you can join an advocacy group, which usually contains office space, a library, and a receptionist from whom you can rent an office.
An advocate is also a lawyer; however, to become an advocate, you must complete a year of apprenticeship, known as ‘pupilage,’ write a Bar exam at the General Council of the Bar, and be admitted to the Bar by the High Court of South Africa. It should be noted that in order to be admitted as an advocate, you must have a clean criminal record.
The Bar examinations are held in the middle of the year. Before taking the Bar test, you must attend evening classes.
Lawyers are mostly involved in two activities:
However, new South African law now permits attorneys to argue and present matters in court on their clients’ behalf; and
Provide legal advice and assistance with the writing of legal documents in their area of expertise.
Advocates may also apply to the President for appointment as Senior Counsel after gaining sufficient experience. South African court judges are often chosen from a pool of experienced counsellors.
If you want to become a judge one day, you must first become an advocate.
Conclusion
Both becoming an advocate and an attorney necessitate an LLB degree, practical experience, passing necessary professional tests, and admission to the High Court of South Africa. However, these occupations necessitate distinct skills. Advocates often require skills to present and argue cases in court, whereas attorneys primarily consult with their clients and provide legal advice.
