Who Is A Lawyer?
A person who prepares, interprets, and applies the law as an advocate, attorney at law, barrister, barrister-at-law, solicitor, canonist, canon lawyer, legal executive, or public servant—but not as a paralegal or charter executive secretary—is referred to as a lawyer or attorney. The practical application of abstract legal ideas and expertise in the practice of law involves resolving particular, individual problems or advancing the interests of people who retain lawyers to provide legal services. Depending on the legal system in place, a lawyer’s job can vary substantially.
What Credentials Are Required To Practice Law In South Africa?
According to South African legislation, a lawyer must hold a law degree, spend several years working in the legal field, and pass an entrance exam. You must also be a legal resident of South Africa or a citizen who is at least 21 years old.
Study Options
The Qualification of Legal Practitioners Amendment Act of 1997 stipulates that an LLB degree is required to practice law in South Africa. The degree must be obtained from an accredited South African law school at one of the many universities or colleges in South Africa. The LLB degree is the minimum requirement, and you must enroll in and complete a four-year LLB degree. You also have the option of completing a BCom degree before the LLB degree, but this is not required.
Vacation Job
You will need to submit a direct application to law firms for work experience over the July or December holidays in your pre-final year of study, or even as early as the end of your second year of study. In South Africa, the majority of the bigger law firms provide such work experience for two to three weeks.This work experience will be a terrific addition to your resume and is a great way to discover how law firms run on a daily basis, learn more about the legal field you want to practice, and expand your network of contacts.
Provisions For Clerkship
Prior to being permitted to practice law on your own, you must first get experience as a candidate attorney working at a law firm under the supervision of an attorney in practice. The Attorneys Act mandates that a prospective attorney satisfactorily finish his two-year Articles of Clerkship while enrolled in part-time legal studies. An alternative is to enroll in law school full-time for an additional year as a candidate for the bar.
How To Become A Lawyer In South Africa
PLT, a required course that teaches legal skills and gets you ready for your board exam, is practical legal training. To become admitted as an attorney, you must finish your PLT. You will write your board exams following your PLT course. Every February and every July/August, you can write these. You must successfully complete four board exams in all, including ones on estates, bookkeeping, attorney practice, and court procedures. As long as you pass all four exams, you can choose when to write which one. You are qualified to apply to the court for admission as an attorney once you have finished your PLT and aced your board exams. Your principal must sign your confirmatory affidavit, and you must prepare your application for admission.
