Where are lawyers most in demand?

South Africa’s legal profession is diverse, with lawyers making significant contributions across various fields. Within these fields, different types of lawyers specialise in specific areas of law. However, not all specialisations are equally in demand; some areas of expertise are highly preferred over others. Understanding these demand trends is essential for both aspiring and practising lawyers. This knowledge will not only help them identify areas with the most job opportunities but also guide them in aligning their skills and expertise with the needs of the job market. Moreover, it will help them build a successful and stable career in the highly competitive legal sector.

In this article, we will guide you in finding the answer to questions like ‘Are lawyers in demand in South Africa?’ or ‘What are the types of lawyers in demand? We will also explore the prime practice areas for Bachelor of Laws degree holders.

Current Demand for Lawyers in South Africa

The demand for lawyers in South Africa is reflected in various statistics. As of January 2022,  there were approximately 29,981 practising attorneys and 5,483 candidate attorneys in South Africa. However, this demand can be shaped by societal and economic factors. For instance, economic growth increases the need for corporate and commercial lawyers, while urbanisation boosts demand in major cities for various specialisations. Moreover, the changing legal needs, driven by technological advances and regulatory changes, also shape demand for lawyers. 

Furthermore, regional variations also contribute to the demand. Due to their dense population and complex economic activities, urban areas need a wider range of legal services. On the other hand, rural areas often focus on areas like agricultural law, land rights, or customary law, depending on local economic activities and industries. As a result, you understand the answer to the question, ‘Are lawyers in demand in South Africa?’

To know if law is a promising career, you can read our article: Is Law a good career for the future?

Types of Lawyers in Demand in South Africa

In South Africa, several types of lawyers are in high demand due to the country’s unique challenges and opportunities. For instance, corporate lawyers are essential as businesses handle mergers, acquisitions, and complex regulatory requirements amidst a growing economy. Similarly, criminal defence lawyers play a crucial role in addressing the high crime rate and ensuring fair trials and justice for accused individuals.

Human rights lawyers also remain vital, working to protect individual rights and address social injustices. Moreover, the increasing focus on environmental issues has significantly boosted the demand for environmental lawyers. However, the rise of the digital economy has driven the need for intellectual property lawyers, who are essential for safeguarding patents and copyrights. 

Also, you can explore what jobs you can get with an LLB degree.

Understanding Legal Practice in South Africa

In South Africa, there are two levels at which one can use one’s law degree to practice as a lawyer: as an attorney, or as an advocate. An attorney can be an in-house advisor, or can practice privately in a law firm. Advocates, on the other hand, usually stand before a judge to argue a case (Political Analysis, 2022). Advocates generally need skills to present and argue cases in court, while attorneys mostly use their general knowledge of the law to consult with their clients and give legal advice (Van der Merwe, 2022).

Lawyers represent many different fields of expertise in South Africa. Demand is high for civil litigation lawyers, bankruptcy lawyers, labour and employment lawyers, foreclosure lawyers, intellectual property lawyers, defamation lawyers, mergers and acquisition lawyers, medical lawyers, family lawyers, social security disability lawyers, general practice lawyers, and traffic lawyers. All are trained as legal experts in their respective fields.

Like other economic activities, the legal profession is regulated by supply and demand. Kudiabor (2021) notes that demand for lawyers is influenced by human interaction – lawyers are required to resolve everyday human interaction and conflict.

Prime practice areas for Bachelor of Laws degree holders

The most highly sought after areas of practice for Bachelor of Laws (LLB) graduates are in:

Family law

• • South African family law is concerned with legal rules pertaining to familial relationships (Robinson et al, 2016). It may be defined as “that subdivision of material private law which researches, describes and regulates the origin, contents and dissolution of all legal relationships between: (i) husband and wife (including the parties to a civil union); (ii) parents, guardians (and other holders of parental rights and responsibilities) and children; and (iii) relatives related through blood and affinity
  • While StatsSA figures released in 2021 show South Africa’s divorce rate has continued the downward trend first seen in 2010,  a great need remains for lawyers to resolve disputes concerning marriages, divorces, maintenance, custody and other domestic issues.

Employment law

• • The rate of labour litigation in South Africa is particularly high. There are a number of reasons for this, starting with Section 34 of the constitution, which provides that everyone has the right to have any dispute that can be resolved by the application of the law decided in a fair public hearing before a court or an independent and impartial tribunal (Hogan Lovells, 2018).
  • The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and Labour Courts were established to resolve labour disputes. CCMA arbitrations provide independent and impartial tribunals. The employment tribunal is obliged to ensure that the proceedings before it are always fair, as per Section 23 of the constitution, which guarantees everyone the right to fair labour practices.

Property law

• • South African property law regulates the “rights of people in or over certain objects or things”. It is concerned with a person’s ability to act, with regard to different kinds of property, in accordance with South African law (Mostert et al, 2016). LLB degree holders are needed to draft documents involving movable, immovable and personal property, and to litigate disputes over it.
  • Immovable or fixed property includes land and objects permanently attached to the land. 
  • Personal property includes cars, bank accounts, wages, small businesses, furniture, insurance policies, jewellery, and patents. Pets and season tickets for rugby are also examples of personal property, which is also referred to as personal effects or movable property (Bregman Moodley Attorneys, nd).

Criminal law

• • • Criminal law is the body of law that defines criminal offences, regulates the apprehension, charging, and trial of suspects, and fixes penalties for convicted offenders (Norton & Jescheck, nd).
    • South Africa’s high crime rate requires the intervention of criminal law practitioners. BusinessTech (2022) reported 6,424 murders in the first quarter of the 2022-2023 financial year alone – up 12,6% on year-earlier figures – accompanied by an increase in the number of cash-in-transit heists, car and truck hijacking, robbery, and commercial crime.  Given that in South Africa all accused of crime are innocent until proven guilty and have a right to a fair trial, this automatically pushes up demand in this area of law.

Conclusion

The legal profession is changing with varying demands across different practice areas. Finding the answer to ‘Are lawyers in demand in South Africa?’ is vital for both aspiring and practising lawyers. Currently, there is a high demand for lawyers specialising in corporate, criminal, environmental, and intellectual property law, reflecting the country’s economic and social challenges. Moreover, specialisations in family, employment, property, and criminal law are particularly relevant due to their impact on everyday issues. Hence, by choosing these in-demand areas, law graduates can improve their career opportunities. 

Enrol in Regenesys Law School’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme to build a strong foundation and gain the skills essential for succeeding in the legal profession. Apply today!

Where are Lawyers Most in Demand? – FAQs

References

• Bregman Moodley Attorneys Inc. (nd).  Immovable and personal property law.
• Hogan Lovells. (2018).  South African employment litigation.
• Kudiabor, H. (2021). What field of law is most in demand? 
• Lawyersnjurists. (2017). How does law affect our everyday life.
• Martin Vermaak Attorneys. (nd). Divorce rate in South Africa.
• Mostert, H., Pope, A., Van Wyk, J., Freedman, W., Pienaar, J., & Badenhorst, P. (Eds.). (2010) The Principles of The Law of Property in South Africa. Oxford University Press Southern Africa.
• Norton, J., Jescheck, H. (nd). Criminal law. Britannica.
• PoliticalAnalysis. (2022). Which lawyers are in demand in South Africa? 
• Robinson, J.A., Human, S.,  Smith, B.S., & Carnelly, M. (2016). Introduction to South African Family Law (6th ed.). Juta.
• Staff writer. (2022). These crimes are worse than ever in South Africa. BusinessTech.
• Van der Merwe, M. (2022). The difference between a lawyer advocate and attorney in South Africa.