Please note the registration can only be done online – No physical registrations accepted.
TO REGISTER: Click on the link in the brochure op page 2 (“How to register”- Step 1 “Click here to register”).
What is the purpose of the compulsory course?
After a student obtains an LLB degree, one of the main requirements for admission as an legal practitioner is two years of service under a contract of articles of clerkship and attendance of a course approved by the Legal Practice Council (LPC). The LSSA’s Compulsory Practical Vocational Training for Candidate Legal Practitioners, which is made up of two modules, has been approved for this purpose.
Note on Practical Legal Training
If the prospective legal practitioner attends a full-time practical law school, he/she does not need to attend the Compulsory Practical Vocational Training for Candidate Legal Practitioners. For more information on the practical law school offered by the LSSA, please consult the LEAD website under School for Legal Practice.
What is the course’s learning objective?
The course is designed to supplement the training provided by law firms in the knowledge and skills required of a competent candidate legal practitioner.
Is the course a prerequisite to writing the Admission Examination?
No, it is not a prerequisite; however, LEAD recommends that candidate legal practitioner attend the course as soon as possible after commencing articles of clerkship and before attempting the Admission Examination. To assist candidate legal practitioners with preparation for the Admission Examination, the examination dates are taken into account when the course is presented. A candidate legal practitioner may complete the four papers of the examination in any sequence. Nonetheless, ideally the papers should be completed simultaneously (see rule 3(2) in the Government Gazette of 8/1/88).
Who can attend the course?
Registered candidate legal practitioners, during their terms of service under articles of clerkship or candidate legal practitioners after expiry of their service under articles of clerkship. Please refer to Section 15(1)(b)(ivA) of Act 53 of 1979. Preference is given to candidate legal practitioners in their final year of articles. Should a prospective student not satisfy the requirements to participate, he/she may submit a special motivation for attendance addressed to the Manager: Compulsory Practical Vocational Training for Candidate Legal Practitioners. This motivation can be submitted to the LEAD Course Coordinators.
Full time course
23 days split in two sessions over the year:
The full-time programme comprises 23 days, presented in two sessions over the course of the year.
Module I and Module II have been combined since 2022. A structured break is incorporated between the two modules to assist candidate legal practitioners in preparing for all papers of the Admission Examination. This break also provides candidates with sufficient time to complete all required online assessments before progressing to the next module. Please note that, effective from 2026, the UP 1 and
UP 2 full-time programmes will be delivered entirely in a virtual format via Microsoft Teams. This
transition to a fully online delivery model aims to enhance accessibility and support flexible learning for candidates across different regions.
Part-time course
(Modules I and II)
The part-time course will, as far as possible, be presented on one full day per week over a period of approximately five months. Attendance of the part-time course assists candidate legal practitioners to prepare for all the papers of the Admission Examination session held during the third quarter of 2024.
(An exception is the Cape Town (II) (part-time), which prepares candidates for the first quarter 2025 session of the Admission Examination). The advantage of the part-time course is that candidate legal practitioners are not absent from the office for extended, continuous periods. They also have time between sessions to apply the skills they have learnt, as well as to prepare for the next session. Below are the days of the week that the part-time course is presented, unless otherwise arranged.
- Pretoria – University of South Africa: Wednesdays
- Durban – University of KwaZulu-Natal: Thursdays
- Cape Town (I) – (part-time): Fridays
- Cape Town (II) – (part-time): Fridays
- Walter Sisulu University (evening programme)
Course coordinators
General e-mail: courses@LSSALEAD.org.za
Nomsa Sethosa: Manager
E-mail: nomsa@LSSALEAD.org.za
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4616
Course Centre:
- Special program (Module I and II)
- University of Pretoria (Eng 1 and 2 – programmes are offered virtually during the day)
- Johannesburg – School for Legal Practice (full-time)
- Port Elizabeth – Nelson Mandela University (full-time)
Milton Mogashane: Training Coordinator
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4623
E-mail: Milton@LSSA.org.za
Course centres:
- University of Pretoria (Eng 1 and 2)
- Johannesburg – School for Legal Practice (full-time)
- Port Elizabeth – Nelson Mandela University (full-time)
Milton Mogashane: Training Coordinator
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4623
E-mail: Milton@LSSA.org.za
Course centres:
University of Witwatersrand
- Evening 1
- Evening 2
- Evening 3
- Evening 4
Dodo Dubazane: Training Coordinator
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4647
E-mail: dodo@LSSALEAD.org.za
Course centre:
- Pretoria – University of South Africa (part-time)
- Walter Sisulu University (evening)
- Potchefstroom – University of North West (evening)
Jackson Ndhlovu: Training Coordinator
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4628
E-mail: jackson@LSSALEAD.org.za
Course centres:
- Bloemfontein – University of the Free State (full-time 1 and 2)
- Pietermaritzburg – University of KwaZulu-Natal
- Durban – University of KwaZulu-Natal (part-time)
Tamara Sihlangu: Course Coordinator
Tel: +27 (0)12 441 4673
E-mail: tamara@LSSALEAD.org.za
Course centres:
- Cape Town (I) Closed: Fully Booked) and (II) – Waalburg (part-time)
- Cape Town (full-time)
- Durban – University of KwaZulu-Natal (full time)
On what basis is the course presented?
The course is divided into two modules and can be presented on a full-time, part-time and evenings basis depending on the centre concerned. Please refer to the Course Schedule on page 4 of the brochure for details.
Attendance of certain subjects only
Candidate legal practitioners and other interested parties may enrol for certain subjects.
Certificate of attendance
A certificate of attendance is issued only if the attendance of each subject is satisfactory. These attendance reports must be retained by attendees for purposes of application for admission as an legal practitioner. Please refer to the “Code of Conduct and Satisfactory Attendance” in the brochure for more information.
Course material
Course attendees receive the following from LEAD some three weeks after the registration closing date:
- confirmation of registration, daily programme and details of the venue;
- instructions with regard to preparation;
- documentation in support of the lectures, practical exercises, notes, forms, etc.
Should the attendee register late, the material will be available at the course centre.
Terms and Conditions of Registration – Read more …
