Statistics for the attorneys’ profession

About the attorneys’ profession

There are currently some 35 541 attorneys in South Africa. Attorneys are officers of the court and are registered on the roll of attorneys at the Legal Practice Council.

An overview of the attorneys’ profession

DEMOGRAPHICS NATIONAL ATTORNEYS

	2026
Sole practitioners	6 969
Small firms 2 – 9 attorneys	2241
10 to 19 attorneys	66
20 to 49 attorneys	19
More than 50 attorneys	12

Age:

Age Group	Totals
< 21	1
21 – 24	7
25 – 34	9 546
35 – 44	10 460
45 – 54	7 294
55 – 64	5 136
65 – 74	2 305
> 75	792
	35 541

Gender:

Age Group	Totals	Male	Female
< 21	1	1	0
21 – 24	7	1	6
25 – 34	9 546	3 860	5 686
35 – 44	10 460	4 934	5 526
45 – 54	7 294	4 143	3 151
55 – 64	5 136	3 591	1 545
65 – 74	2 305	1 895	410
> 75	792	747	45
	35 541	19 172	16 369

Race:

Age Group	Totals	Black	Coloured	Indian	White	Other
< 21	1	0	0	0	0	1
21 – 24	7	6	0	1	0	0
25 – 34	9 546	4 968	631	944	2 897	106
35 – 44	10 460	4 666	582	969	4 037	206
45 – 54	7 294	2 736	420	680	3 298	160
55 – 64	5 136	1 197	245	443	3 186	65
65 – 74	2 305	310	67	211	1 688	29
> 75	792	55	9	60	659	9
	35 541	13 938	1 954	3 308	15 765	576

Gender and race:

Age Group	Totals	Black Male	Black Female	Coloured Male	Coloured Female	Indian Male	Indian Female	White Male	White Female	Other Male	Other Female
< 21	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
21 – 24	7	1	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
25 – 34	9 546	2 160	2 808	211	420	304	640	1 141	1 756	44	62
35 – 44	10 460	2 586	2 080	207	375	333	636	1 718	2 319	90	116
45 – 54	7 294	1 977	759	218	202	244	436	1 611	1 687	93	67
55 – 64	5 136	964	233	180	65	253	190	2 148	1 038	46	19
65 – 74	2 305	257	53	51	16	155	56	1 407	281	25	4
> 75	792	53	2	9	0	50	10	627	32	8	1
	35 541	7 998	5 940	876	1 078	1 339	1 969	8 652	7 113	307	269

View the LSSA LEAD statistics on the profession, July 2018