Class notes
Legal Skills 411 final test
- Course
- Legal Skills 411
- Institution
- Stellenbosch University (SUN)
This document contains all prescribed content needed for the final test ("exam") for Legal Skills 411.
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LEGAL SKILLS 4112022
Prescribed work for test:
Relationships with:
o Clients
o Other practioners
o Profession & the community
o The courts
Legal ethics
Also have a look at the ‘Invitation to comment on regulations to be made in terms of the Legal
Practice Act, 2014’
o Might be asked our opinion on this.
Table of Contents
1. CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS.............................................................................................................................................................. 3
1.1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 FIRST CONSULTATION WITH CLIENT......................................................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 MAINTENANCE WITH CLIENT................................................................................................................................................................10
1.4 NATURE OF RETAINER & WHEN IT CAN BE TERMINATED............................................................................................................................10
1.5 CONFIDENTIALITY.............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
1.6 LEGAL PROFESSIONAL PRIVILEGE........................................................................................................................................................... 13
1.7 CONFLICT OF INTERESTS......................................................................................................................................................................14
2. LEGAL ETHICS........................................................................................................................................................................... 16
2.1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
2.2 WHAT ARE LEGAL ETHICS?.................................................................................................................................................................. 19
2.3 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICAL THEORIES & MAJOR ETHICAL PHILOSOPHERS......................................................................................................28
2.4 IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL ETHICS.............................................................................................................................................................31
2.5 SOURCES OF LEGAL ETHICS.................................................................................................................................................................. 35
2.6 PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE..................................................................................................................................................................47
3. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PRACTIONERS [GUEST LECTURER]............................................................................................... 55
4. RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROFESSION & THE COMMUNITY.......................................................................................................... 57
4.1 CHAPTER 23: DUTY TO PROFESSION & COMMUNITY................................................................................................................................57
4.2 CHAPTER 24: ASSISTING THE DISADVANTAGED........................................................................................................................................58
1
, 4.3 CHAPTER 25: UNDERTAKINGS..............................................................................................................................................................59
4.4 CHAPTER 27: UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.............................................................................................................................................60
5. RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COURTS.......................................................................................................................................... 63
5.1 GENERAL......................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
5.2 ETHICAL RULES AS MEMBERS OF THE BAR AND ATTORNEYS........................................................................................................................63
5.3 HOW TO BEHAVE BEFORE AN ANTAGONISTIC BENCH.................................................................................................................................64
5.4 CONTEMPT OF COURT........................................................................................................................................................................ 65
5.5 HOW TO ADDRESS THE COURT............................................................................................................................................................. 69
6. LAWFARE OR WARFARE: THE CHALLENGE TO THE COURTS & LEGAL PRACTIONERS...................................................................71
6.1 GENERAL......................................................................................................................................................................................... 71
6.2 WHY HAS THIS EXPLOSION HAPPENED?..................................................................................................................................................71
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,1. Client relationships
1.1 Introduction
Theory vs practice
o Will differ GREATLY.
o You will deal with real people, with real problems.
o Clients are NOT going to care about the hundreds of prescribed cases we have learnt.
However, it will of course be of vital importance when you argue their case.
Practitioner’s duty/ obligations
(1) To solve your client’s legal issues/problems & to represent your client
You are acting on client’s behalf & therefore, you are responsible for their interests
You must do your utmost best to protect their interests above your own
So, your 1st duty as a legal practitioner is to represent your client to the best of your
ability & to protect their interests above anything else & to resolve their problem
(2) Confidentiality
(3) No conflict of interest
(4) Utmost good faith
(5) Fiduciary duty to minimize costs and act with integrity and honesty
1.2 First consultation with client
When you have your 1st consultation with this particular client:
o Ask yourself 2 questions
1 Accepting client
Do I need to act for this client?
How badly does this firm need this client or their money?
Will it just add to the pile of files that you already have?
2 If you accept the client, can you accept this client because you know how to deal with
this matter/ can you resolve this problem for them?
I.e., if you accept them, are you able to resolve their problem
Are you competent in that area of law to deal with the matter?
o To answer the above 2 questions must consider the following factors
A) You are not obliged to act for a client
You have choice to accept them or not
Are you your own boss or do you work for a firm?
o This will influence your ability to decide whether to accept them
In big firms you often don’t have a choice as to who you want to represent –
during your articles you might have to do criminal law and defend a guilty
person
B) Is there a potential conflict of interest?
3
, Consider for eg: that the client was referred to you by your friend or your
brother or your client wants to sue a family member – this could be a conflict
of interest
Or if client has made controversial comments in social media and you
disagree with those comments – then this could create a conflict of interest
Are you comfortable with acting for your client?
C) Client gives unethical, fraudulent instructions/answers
I.e., if client gives you false/dishonest information and answers
Is there something in their history that you cannot reconcile?
D) Competency of attorney
Ask yourself: are you, yourself, competent enough to give advice about this
particular issue?
Eg: if you are family law practitioner & now your client wants you to help them
with a company law issue.
o If you are not competent then you should not accept the client
Are you competent to give advice?
o If you are not competent, you can be sued for negligence & for wasting
their time & money
What are the boundaries of your own personal knowledge & where do you feel
comfortable working in?
E) Not suitably qualified
F) Knowledge & experience
General rule: Always be courteous
o How?
1 Make client feel welcome and comfortable
Take them to a conference room/ clean office/ offer them tea or coffee/ dress
nicely
Have a tidy desk & try and have your office look organized (organized mess)
Make your client feel like you value them
Comfortable environment
o Eg: see if there are any squeaky chairs that your client might have to
sit in and sort out the problem
2 Show interest & give undivided attention
No interruptions
o Eg: phone calls, attending to emails, staff interruptions
o Keep your phone on silent or inform client that you are expecting an
important phone call which might happen during your meeting
Make sure people know the conference room is booked out for that timeslot
o Put a sign on the door saying you are in a meeting
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