Candidate attorneys minimum wage to start from R6 000

The notice published on the Government Gazette details that the Legal Practice Council of South Africa will amend the minimum remuneration, allowance, or stipend for candidate legal practitioners.

The legal practitioners in question are candidate attorneys in rural and urban areas.

Agreed minimum wage

The notice details that candidate attorneys in rural areas will now earn a minimum of R6 000 per month. When it comes to those in urban areas, they will be paid R8 000 per month.

“A candidate attorney undergoing practical vocational training in terms of a practical vocational training contract shall be entitled to not less than the minimum remuneration as determined by the council, which remuneration shall be payable not less frequently than monthly,” reads the notice.

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Minimum wage for legal pupils

The notice states that the Legal Practice Council has also amended the minimum wages of pupils in law. Minimum remuneration is set at R8 000 per month.

The council entered into this agreement on 5 August 2024.

According to a survey conducted by the Legal Practice Council in 2022, salaries being paid to candidate attorneys started at R2 000 all the way up to 12 000 per month. Half of the respondents said they will pay their candidates attorneys the amount stated in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

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Minimum wage impacts employment of candidate attorneys

“The respondents that opposed the minimum wage stated that candidate attorneys are qualified professionals and therefore the minimum wage would for the amount of work expected,” reads the findings of the survey.

However, 65.8% of the respondents said that if minimum wage was set it would result in law firms employing fewer candidate attorneys.

The survey also requested candidate attorneys to air their views on the minimum wage. Just less than 64% of the respondents agreed that a minimum wage would have an impact on access to the profession.

“59.3% of the respondents work between 40 to 45 hours a week,” it said.

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