Foreign lawyers

Foreign lawyers wishing to practise as legal practitioners (attorneys/advocates) in South Africa

In terms of the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, foreign lawyers need to qualify as legal practitioners in South Africa in order to practise as such.
Unless a person is from a designated country (at present Swaziland, Namibia, Lesotho and the former Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei states) a person must complete a South African LLB degree and comply with the other requirements with regard to practical vocational training or community service, and pass the competency-based admission examination.

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.

For further information, please contact the Legal Practice Council.