Annexure “N” – Rule 27 Legal practice management course
[section 95(1)(zL) read with section 85(1)(b)]
Every legal practitioner who is obliged in terms of section 84(1) of the Act to be in possession of a Fidelity Fund certificate and who is not in possession of a Fidelity Fund certificate must, within a period of one year after the date on which the legal practitioner was required for the first time to be in possession of a Fidelity Fund certificate, or within such further period as the Council may approve in any specific case, complete to the satisfaction of the Council a legal practice management course approved by the Council.
1.10.1
The Council may exempt any legal practitioner, fully or partially and on such conditions as the Council may determine, from completing a legal practice management course to the extent that the legal practitioner – has a qualification that is similar to or of a higher standard than that attainable on completion of the course in question; or has a level of experience that would render the completion of the course in question or any part of such course unnecessary.
A legal practice management course referred to in rule 27.1 may be presented through lectures, seminars or any other forms of learning requiring the physical presence of the legal practitioner concerned, or in appropriate circumstances determined by the Council may be presented through an approved distance learning method or digital transmission, telephone or video conference call, audio tape or electronic network.
The legal practice management course referred to in rule 27.1 must comprise the following modules:
module 1: general introduction to management;
module 2: risk management and insurance;
module 3: law business finance;
module 4: systems and technology;
module 5: practice administration;
module 6: marketing of legal services;
module 7: human resources management;
module 8: strategic management.
The legal practice management course referred to in rule 27.1 shall require, in addition to the completion of the modules referred to in rule 27.4, the successful completion of the following assignments:
law business finance;
risk management and insurance;
a business plan
The compulsory modules of practice management training and he assignments referred to in rule 27.4 shall be completed to the satisfaction of the Council over a period of no longer than twelve months.
Satisfactory completion of any practice management training course presented at the Legal Education and Development Section of the Law Society of South Africa for purposes of the Attorneys Act 53 of 1979, for which an attorney or candidate attorney had registered before the date referred to in section 120(4) of the Act and in respect of which was completed satisfactorily within a period of twelve months after that date will be regarded as compliance with the requirements of rule 27.1.