How to become an attorney in South Africa
Between us we have spent a lifetime in South African law, on the bench and before it. If you are considering the profession, this is the road ahead, step by step.
1. Obtain a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree
Everything starts with an LLB from a recognised university, typically four years of full-time study. Well-regarded law faculties include the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Pretoria (UP), though a solid LLB from any accredited university opens the same doors.
2. Complete practical legal training
The degree teaches you the law; practical training teaches you the profession. There are two routes:
- A Practical Legal Training school accredited by the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA), six months full-time or twelve months part-time; or
- Two years of articles of clerkship under a practising attorney.
3. Pass the board exams
Four board exams, administered by the LSSA, covering procedural law, court procedure and ethics. They are demanding by design: they are the profession's quality gate.
4. Complete community service
A compulsory year of community service at a designated law clinic or organisation. It serves the public, and in our experience it also teaches young lawyers more about real clients than any lecture hall can.
5. Apply for admission as an attorney
With the steps above behind you, you apply to the High Court for admission, submitting proof of your qualifications and training along with the application fee. Admission day is one you will remember.
6. Keep developing
Admission is a beginning, not a finish line. Attorneys must keep up continuous professional development (CPD) to stay current and maintain their practising status. The law never stops moving, and neither do its practitioners.
A word from a firm that has seen it all
The road is long, and worth it. If you are an aspiring legal professional with questions about the profession, or you need attorneys for a matter of your own, we are happy to talk.