What types of lawyers are in demand in South Africa?

Asked by: Bulah Gibson  |  Last update: September 30, 2023
Score: 5/5 (41 votes)

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. Lawyer salaries depend on years of experience and can range from R400,000 to R3.

What are the most in demand fields of law in South Africa?

Which law is in demand in South Africa? The areas of specialisation in demand include personal accident, corporate, divorce, real estate, intellectual property, criminal, litigation, and immigration law.

Which type of lawyer earns the most in South Africa?

The highest-paid lawyers in South Africa, according to the Robert Walters salary benchmark, are general counsels in the financial services, commercial, and industrial sectors. A general counsel in the finance industry earns a minimum salary of R2. 3 million per year.

What type of lawyers do you get in South Africa?

We will explore some of these types of lawyers here, and what they do.
  • Divorce lawyer. When terminating a marriage there are many legal aspects that need to be addressed. ...
  • Family lawyer. ...
  • Immigration lawyer. ...
  • Criminal lawyer. ...
  • Accident and personal injury lawyer. ...
  • Business and corporate lawyer. ...
  • Bankruptcy lawyer. ...
  • Labour law lawyer.

What type of lawyer is needed the most?

The Top 10 Different Types of Lawyers You Might Need
  • Social Security Disability Lawyer.
  • Employment Lawyer.
  • Bankruptcy Lawyer.
  • Domestic Relations Lawyer.
  • Probate Lawyer.
  • Real Estate Lawyer.
  • Debt Collections Lawyer.
  • Business Lawyer.

6 Types of Lawyers, Their Job Profiles and Salaries

30 related questions found

What is the least stressful lawyer field?

What type of lawyer is the least stressful? Real estate law, estate planning law, and intellectual property law are commonly cited as the least stressful types of law to practice. Unlike other practice areas, people's lives aren't on the line.

What are the easiest lawyers to become?

Many professional lawyers believe that real estate law is the least stressful and most accessible field compared to other law fields. A real estate lawyer must learn the basics while knowing the special provisions often repeated across different real estate cases.

Can an American lawyer practice in South Africa?

Do you need to hold local nationality to be eligible to practise law? A candidate must be a South African citizen, or permanent resident in the Republic. There are pathways open to foreign practitioners who have already fully qualified in their home country.

Can a foreigner work as a lawyer in South Africa?

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. For further information, please contact the Legal Practice Council.

Do lawyers get paid well in South Africa?

The legal profession in South Africa offers one of the highest-paying and most lucrative careers in the country, with many legacy and emerging fields requiring highly skilled individuals to make sure affairs are in order.

Is becoming a lawyer in South Africa worth it?

A career in law can be immensely rewarding and offer job satisfaction. This is especially so when you are able to provide the client with a solution in an expeditious and cost effective manner. However it also has its drawbacks, the biggest of which must be the high levels of stress which lawyers work under.

Do lawyers get hired in South Africa?

South Africa needs committed young graduates to join the legal profession. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a profession is a paid occupation which requires a prolonged education and training. Lawyers are part of more than 1 400 professions and careers open to young graduates from universities in South Africa.

How much does a new lawyer earn in South Africa?

While this is not cast in stone, a “beginner lawyer'' in South Africa may earn in the range of R500,000 to R700,000 a year in formal employment. The amount for those in self employment or who own their own practices is not defined. BusinessTech. (2022).

What law degree do you need in South Africa?

Entry Requirement
  • A National Senior Certificate with degree admission.
  • English Home Language level 5 or English First Additional Language level 6.
  • Mathematical Literacy level 5 or Mathematics level 3.
  • Life Orientation level 4.
  • Minimum composite Academic Point Score (APS) 32 not including Life Orientation.

What is the most important law in South Africa?

The Constitution is the supreme law

South Africa is a constitutional democracy. This means the Constitution is the highest law of the land. Parliament cannot pass a law which goes against the Constitution. No person, not even the President, can go against it.

Which field of law pays least?

Some lawyers earn more than others, depending on their experience and practice area. Still, many law firms offer many opportunities for their associates to move up the ladder and earn a higher salary. The lowest-paid legal jobs are typically those in the public sector, such as district attorneys or public defenders.

Is it hard to be a lawyer in South Africa?

Celebration. The process of becoming an attorney in South Africa takes at least 6 years. 4 Years of studying and 2 years of articles and writing the admission exams. That is a long time of working hard with late nights and early mornings.

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.

What is the minimum wage for a lawyer in South Africa?

How much does a Lawyer make in South Africa? The average lawyer salary in South Africa is R 732 000 per year or R 375 per hour. Entry-level positions start at R 259 500 per year, while most experienced workers make up to R 6 780 000 per year.

What type of lawyer can work internationally?

An international lawyer is trained in law to resolve legal issues in court focused on international disputes for businesses, trade, civil, and criminal cases. As an international lawyer, you can work for a firm and follow a standard legal pathway while assisting international clients.

Is there a bar exam in South Africa?

The board exam consists of four examinations that you need to pass as a requirement for becoming a registered attorney in South Africa. This exam is now called the 'competency-based examination for admission as an attorney'.

Can a US lawyer work in another country?

While work depends on the setting, American lawyers find work overseas working in the office of a U.S. law firm or as an attorney in a law firm abroad. American lawyers may also work for U.S. multinational companies as the local legal liaison overseas.

Where is it hardest to become a lawyer?

1. California

Law students across the US may be familiar with the famed “impossible” California bar exam. But why is the California bar exam so hard? For starters, the cut score (the score needed to pass the test) of the California bar is 1390 out of 2000, which is 40 points above the national average.

What is the least boring area of law?

Mental health law is possibly one of the least boring areas in the legal profession because the work varies so dramatically.

Is 30 too late to become a lawyer?

It's never too late in life to apply to law school. Although most applicants are under 25, roughly 20% are 30 or older, according to the Law School Admission Council. Many older law school graduates build fulfilling second careers that draw upon preexisting skills and experiences.