How many years does it take to become a lawyer in South Africa?
Asked by: Renee Yost | Last update: September 14, 2025Score: 5/5 (22 votes)
It takes at least seven years to become an attorney and an additional year to become an advocate. Only some foreign-trained lawyers are able to avoid repeating their LLBs at a South African law school – as usually a South African qualification is necessary.
How long does it take to be a qualified lawyer in South Africa?
The only academic qualification that is presently recognised for the purpose of admission as an attorney is an LLB degree (the course duration of which is not less than four years) obtained at any university in the Republic.
How long is law school in South Africa?
The four-year programme comprises mostly law subjects with several Humanity or Commerce subjects at first year level. You must take certain core law subjects if you wish to graduate with an LLB. Other subjects form a set of electives you can choose from.
What type of lawyer pays the most?
Patent attorneys are the highest-paid type of lawyers, with an average salary of $185,351, ranging from $119,88 to $285,530. Various factors contribute to a patent attorney's average salary, including experience, firm, location, and subject matter expertise.
What is the maximum salary for a lawyer in South Africa?
Senior lawyers, including partners, earn higher salaries ranging from R1,400,000 to R3,500,000 per year, depending on their experience and firm size.
Become a Lawyer | South Africa | Careers Explained
What is the highest paying job in South Africa?
- Neurosurgeon – R3 million to R5 million.
- Cardiothoracic surgeon – R2. ...
- Ship captain (Deep sea/Specialised cargo) – R2 million to R3. ...
- Actuary (with experience) – R1. ...
- Mining engineer (deep level) – R1. ...
- Legal partner (corporate law) – R1.
Can a lawyer make 500k a year?
Absolutely, that is an achievable income. It all depends on your area of expertise and the client you work for. Attorneys who specialize in corporate law or work closely with companies to battle litigation cases or draft terms and conditions can earn more than those who work with smaller clients.
Which country pays lawyers the most?
The top countries which offer the highest average Lawyer's salary are the USA, Germany, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland. The legal field presents numerous opportunities for skilled professionals to create significant impacts locally and globally.
What is the highest paying job in the world?
Topping the list, being a CEO gets you the highest paying job in the world, no matter where you work. A CEO is the highest-ranked position in any organisation's structure. Irrespective of the company's size, a CEO handles all its day-to-day corporate affairs, manages resources and handles all managerial processes.
What field of law is most in demand?
- Intellectual property law. ...
- Family law. ...
- Immigration & naturalization law. ...
- Real estate law. ...
- Contract management. ...
- Compliance. ...
- Labor and employment. ...
- Corporate transactions. Also known as mergers and acquisitions, or M&A, this work navigates the buying and selling of companies and their assets.
Is law hard in South Africa?
Choosing law as a career can be rewarding and exciting but it also requires hard work, dedication and a high level of commitment. The legal industry in South Africa is exceptionally competitive and there are many different career paths to choose from.
How long is a PhD in law in South Africa?
Duration. The minimum period of registration for the PhD is two years (full-time) and four years (part-time). The maximum period of study is two years in addition to the minimum period of study.
Is law school expensive in South Africa?
South African Law School Fees
For domestic LLB students in South Africa, tuition fees can range from approximately R20,000 to R80,000 or more per year.
Can a foreigner become a lawyer in South Africa?
See 'Becoming a legal practitioner'. Further requirements with regard to admission are provided in the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014. A person must be a South African citizen or permanent resident and be otherwise fit and proper in the opinion of the court to be admitted as a legal practitioner.
What is the difference between an attorney and a lawyer?
The primary difference between an attorney and a lawyer is that an attorney is licensed to practice law and represent clients in court, while a lawyer has completed law school but may not be licensed to practice law. All attorneys are lawyers, but not all lawyers are attorneys.
What type of lawyer is most in demand in South Africa?
What types of lawyers are in high demand in South Africa? High demand exists for lawyers in corporate, criminal, human rights, environmental, and intellectual property law.
What is the lowest paid profession?
- Care worker.
- Shelf packer.
- Play worker.
- Nursery nurse.
- Teaching assistant.
- Cashier.
- Dental nurse.
- Cook.
Which job is best for girls with high salary?
- Graphic Designer / Animator. ...
- Content Writer / Editor. ...
- Marketing Manager / Digital Marketer. ...
- Psychologist / Counselor. ...
- Entrepreneur / Business Owner. ...
- Nutritionist. ...
- Makeup Artist. ...
- Chegg Q&A Expert. Talking about which job is best for girls the Chegg expert job is the best fit for them.
What is the most prestigious profession in the world?
Best & most respected professions in the world
Doctors topped the global list of most respected professions, followed by lawyers and then engineers.
Which ethnicity has the most lawyers?
White lawyers were 88% of the profession in 2014, but 78% in 2024. They are still overrepresented compared to the U.S. population. Non-Hispanic white people are 58.4% of the national population. For more on how the National Lawyer Population Survey collects data, see the final section in this chapter.
Which country pays doctors the most?
- Switzerland. Switzerland tops the chart when it comes to the highest-paying countries for doctors and related healthcare professionals. ...
- Canada. ...
- Luxembourg. ...
- USA. ...
- Ireland. ...
- Australia. ...
- Austria. ...
- Belgium.
What is the best country to qualify as a lawyer?
The US stands as the leading destination for law studies, home to prestigious institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and Stanford Law School. Ranking #1 in quality of education, the US offers comprehensive legal training across specialties like corporate law, public interest law, and technology law.
What kind of law makes the most money?
- Patent attorney: $180,000.
- Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.
- Trial lawyer: $134,000.
- Tax attorney: $122,000.
- Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
- Medical lawyer: $113,000.
- Real estate lawyer: $98,000.
- Family lawyer: $93,000.
Is 700k a good salary?
Earning $700,000 a year would put your household in the top 1% nationwide — and well above the middle class — and in any state in the South or Midwest. But that still won't cut it in seven states. The Northeast dominates the rankings, with five of the 10 states with the highest 1% thresholds lying in this region.
How hard is law school?
In summary, law school is hard. Harder than regular college or universities, in terms of stress, workload, and required commitment. But about 40,000 people graduate from law schools every year–so it is clearly attainable.