What does a criminal lawyer do in South Africa?
Asked by: Dr. Stephania Schaefer | Last update: August 10, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (23 votes)
Criminal lawyers are a crucial part of the South African legal system and help to defend individuals and corporations accused of committing crimes. These can be violent or non-violent and include but are not limited to fraud, murder, embezzlement, and break-ins.
What does a criminal lawyer actually do?
They defend individuals and organizations fighting criminal charges. From client strategy sessions to courtrooms, these attorneys spend their days navigating the complex criminal justice system. Criminal attorneys also work to ensure their clients receive fair treatment throughout the legal process.
What type of lawyer gets paid the most in South Africa?
Which lawyers earn the most in South Africa? The highest-paid lawyers often work in medical, intellectual property, business, and environmental law. Their salaries can vary based on their experience and the type of law they practice.
How long does it take to become a criminal lawyer in South Africa?
It takes at least 4 years to become a lawyer in South Africa. However, if you would like to become an attorney, you will need to complete a 4 year LLB degree and 2 years of articles for a total of at least 6 years.
How much money does a criminal lawyer make in South Africa?
R737,357 (ZAR)/yr
An entry level criminal defense lawyer (1-3 years of experience) earns an average salary of R519,774. On the other end, a senior level criminal defense lawyer (8+ years of experience) earns an average salary of R923,791.
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Are criminal lawyers in demand in South Africa?
Yes, lawyers are in demand in South Africa, especially in corporate, criminal, human rights, environmental, and intellectual property law, due to economic, social, and legal developments.
Which type of law is the highest-paid?
- Intellectual Property (IP) Lawyer. One reason IP lawyers are some of the highest-paid types of lawyers is that they require very specialized knowledge in distinct fields. ...
- Tax Attorneys. Tax codes are complex. ...
- Trial Attorney. ...
- Medical Lawyer. ...
- Patent Attorney. ...
- Corporate Lawyer. ...
- Real Estate Lawyer. ...
- Family Lawyer.
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.
Is law a good career in South Africa?
Today, the legal industry in South Africa is exceptionally competitive, offering diverse career opportunities for aspirants. There is a growing demand for legal expertise driven by new challenges and emerging fields. As a result, this is encouraging millions of youths to study law and start fulfilling careers.
Which subject is best for a criminal lawyer?
To pursue a career with a specialisation in criminal law, it is necessary to complete an integrated BA LLB course at the undergraduate level. At the postgraduate level, you can pursue the following courses: LLM in Criminal Law. LLM in Criminal Law and Security Law.
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.
What is a lawyer called in South Africa?
In different regions around the world, licenced legal professionals are called by different names. In South Africa, we refer to someone who performs a legal function as lawyers or attorneys (which can be used interchangeably).
What are the advantages of being a lawyer in South Africa?
Objective of Pursuing LLB
There are many reasons why people choose Law. Lawyers have several advantages: they make a good income. Lawyers have a respected profession and make a positive impact on society. Lawyers can also help marginalised communities and work in specialised areas of business.
Do criminal lawyers have to defend the guilty?
Criminal defense attorneys are ethically required to zealously represent their clients, no matter what their personal opinion of the case may be. This means that criminal defense attorneys are required to do their best to advocate for their clients, even if the attorney believes the client is guilty.
Which type of lawyer makes the most money?
Corporate and tax lawyers tend to be the highest earners, with patent and IP lawyers not far behind. Trial lawyers also pull down a lot of money, particularly in the civil litigation field. Other lawyers are more motivated by getting justice for their clients than by collecting the largest possible paycheck.
Is being a criminal lawyer stressful?
The complexity of criminal cases prove to be strenuous and taxing. Criminal defense lawyers face immense stress during legal proceedings and in the events leading up to these. Some people have given defense attorneys a nasty reputation of being dishonest, which can affect them in more ways than they may know.
What type of lawyer is most in demand in South Africa?
In its annual salary survey for 2022, specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters revealed the most in demand legal jobs in South Africa were general counsels in the financial services, commercial and industrial sectors.
Is it hard to become a lawyer in South Africa?
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.
Is there a shortage of lawyers in South Africa?
The paper concludes that there are not enough lawyers in the country at present to provide access to justice in the narrow sense, and suggests how this shortage can be overcome by using mechanisms that provide alternatives to lawyers.
Are lawyers well paid in South Africa?
Mid-level lawyers, such as associates, earn between R650,000 to R850,000 per year, while senior associates earn R850,000 to R1,400,000 annually.
How many years to study law 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.
Who controls lawyers in South Africa?
The Legal Practice Council is the controlling body for the legal profession in South Africa.
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 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.
What type of lawyer makes the least money?
We find that within the legal industry, certain segments are known to offer lower compensation. Typically, public defenders, legal aid attorneys, and lawyers working for nonprofit organizations are among the lowest paid.