The legal practice management course is intended to assist legal practitioners manage their legal practice efficiently by combining their own legal expertise together with strategic business management.
According to the Legal Practice Act No 28 of 2014, specifically at Section 84 and
85 thereof, there are a few initial steps you need to take before you are able to
start your own law firm –
1 . C OMPLETE A LEGA L PR AC TIC E MA NA GEMEN T C OU R S E
A P P R OVED B Y TH E LEGA L PR A C TIC E C OU NC IL (LPC )
Section 85(1)(b) of the Legal Practice Act states that every legal practitioner who,
for the first time practices for his or her own account either alone or in partnership
must – within the period of one year after the date on which he or she was
required for the first time to be in possession of a Fidelity Fund certificate (or
within a further period as the Council may approve in any specific case) –
complete a legal practice management course approved by the Council.
The legal practice management course is intended to assist legal
practitioners manage their legal practice efficiently by combining their own legal
expertise together with strategic business management.
Practice management training or PMT) is offered by Legal Education and
Development (L.E.A.D).
According to LEAD, the course –
“focuses on the fundamentals of practice management relating to management,
marketing, technology and finance. Its ultimate aim is to provide legal practitioners
with the tools to manage their practices more efficiently on a sustained basis in
, order to improve standards of practice of the legal profession and service delivery
to clients.
The course, which is subsidised by the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund, is
designed to provide training and guidance to legal practitioners on inter alia:
effectively starting a practice;
combining legal expertise with strategic business management;
applying resources productively;
practising in a financially sound manner;
marketing for profitability;
ensuring risk management and control; and
Administering the affairs of clients and the business prudently”.
The duration of the course is 4 months and costs R2 400 (VAT inclusive). It is
important to note that in order to complete the course, participants are required to
have a satisfactory attendance record of the training (which is in eight modules)
and must also pass the three compulsory assignments and online assessments
(tests and quizzes).
Participants are required to complete the entire PMT course in full within 12
months from the date of first registration.
2 . OB TA IN A FID ELITY FU N D C ER TIFIC A TE
According to Section 84(2) and (3) of the Legal Practice Act, a legal practitioner
cannot receive or hold funds or property (which they are often required to do)
unless they are in possession of a Fidelity Fund certificate.
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