Careers with Law Firms

INTERVIEWS WITH LAW FIRMS

Having trouble deciding where you want to go, or what you want to do? Here's some information that might help make the choice a little easier.

INTERVIEW WITH AN ADVOCATE

Sarah Powell | Advocate at Society of Advocates of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban Bar

What is the difference between an attorney and an advocate?

There are two main branches of legal practitioners: attorneys, who do legal work of all kinds, and advocates, who are specialists.
Attorneys are the business managers of cases and they decide when an advocate is or is not necessary to be engaged to act for the clients. Advocates have no direct contact with clients. For this reason advocates are said to be in a “referral” profession.
Attorneys are the lawyers that clients see first with their problems. Attorneys give general advice in the law.
Advocates (also called “counsel”) get “briefed” to take on cases by attorneys when a specialist skill is needed in a court case or in research into the law.
Attorneys form professional companies and firms and practice in partnership with each other. Advocates are individuals practitioners and never form partnerships. Advocates may become members of “the Bar”.

What is the process of becoming a member of the KwaZulu Natal Durban Bar?

Any person who wants to become a member of the Bar and practice as an Advocate must meet the requirements of the Admission of Advocates Act 74 of 1964 and undergo a year of vocational training at the Bar called pupilage. Pupilage is a learning experience and is therefore unpaid. The training undertaken during pupilage is provided by the Society of Advocates of KwaZulu-Natal. During pupillage, a pupil advocate is paired with an experienced advocate to see how work is carried out in chambers and in court. Pupilage is a structured and intensive training programme consisting of practical court craft, legal document drafting and procedural law exercises. A trial examination and a final examination are written during the latter part of the year.

What kind of person is suited to being an advocate?

An advocate must be prepared to work long hours, often under time constraints and pressure. An advocate needs the ability to analyse problems and work out solutions, to pay attention to detail, and to be an independent thinker. An advocate should be a confident and fluent speaker and be able to think on their feet. He or she should also have the ability to be persuasive in speech and in writing. An advocate should also have good interpersonal skills and be able to interact with people from all walks of life.

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INTERVIEW WITH BOWMAN-GILFILLAN

What makes a candidate stand out?

A candidate’s marks are important, but they are not the only factor. Attitude is exceptionally important – your attitude to your work, engagement and your colleagues. We look for candidates who can bring in clients and interact well with people.

What makes Bowman special?

People often say that it is better to work for a small firm because you will deal with more interesting matters. However, a firm like Bowman offers big clients with complex issues. You can read an article in the newspaper in the morning, and find yourself with dealing with the case in the afternoon.

As a candidate attorney, do you often find yourself in a situation where you’re given work that you don’t know how to handle?

Sometimes instructions are better than others – it depends on the day. Most of the time you are given comprehensive instructions, and given guidance on how to complete the task. But you are expected to a certain degree to be able to find a way to do things yourself. What’s it like working at Bowman?It’s a great working environment. You can walk past the CEO in the corridor and he’ll take the time to find out who the new face is. Everyone works well together as a team.

Offices in: Sandton and Cape Town

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INTERVIEW WITH WEBBER WENTZEL

What makes a candidate stand out?

We look for all-rounders, although academic achievement is a strong factor. Your personality will help you stand out, and your involvement outside the books. Are you involved in community work? Do you play sport? Do you have unusual skills, like speaking multiple languages, or being a formidable debater?

What’s it like being a candidate attorney at Webber?

One of the best parts about being a candidate attorney with Webber Wentzel is the training structure. You won’t be thrown into the deep end without a clue as to what to do. It’s also great because you are exposed to really interesting work, and you’ll work closely with the Associates. Not only do you get exposed to interesting work, but you’ll experience a variety, which will help you find your place. The two year articles programme works on eight month rotations, so you’ll have a good understanding of three totally different areas of law. One of the best things about Webber Wentzel is the atmosphere of camaraderie and the effective team work. The office environment encourages team work, and most of what we do is in teams, so you build a good relationship with your colleagues.

Offices in: Johannesburg and Cape Town

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INTERVIEW WITH NORTON ROSE

What makes a candidate stand out?

Good marks are a starting point – it’s the first thing that the firm will see, and it’s the first criteria used to sift through the hundreds of applications received. Marks are important because they give an indication of your competency, but also because a person who achieves academically shows commitment and dedication, which are characteristics that we look for. However, we look for more – we like candidates who are involved in other things. We’re not only interested in what a person has achieved and what they do – we want to know who you are. We want to know about your background. Where a person comes from can tell you a lot about who they are. And we’re looking for people who have something different to offer.

What’s it like working at Norton Rose Fulbright?

We believe in creating a positive work environment. There is a culture of hard work and we are big on team work and supporting each other. What makes us unique are our people.

Offices in: Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban

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INTERVIEW WITH HOGAN LOVELLS

Nikki Webber | Partner

What characteristics does Hogan Lovells look for in its graduate recruitment?

Well rounded individuals who display ambition, determination, perseverance and the ability to interact with colleagues at all levels are recruited as candidate attorneys. Candidates with a record of high academic and leadership achievements are the most likely to be successful.

Why should I work for you?

We are a firm of ambitious, confident people and we are committed to developing the highest quality business lawyers. With over 40 offices worldwide, and some of the world’s most prestigious organisations as clients, you will have the opportunity to work on complex deals and disputes and will be expected to take on significant responsibility at the first opportunity.

What are some of the bigger cases that the firm has handled/is handling?

The firm represented Telkom in the proposed acquisition by KT of a 20% stake in Telkom for a purchase price of approximately R5 billion.Telkom was represented by Warren Drue, Partner and Head of the commercial department as well as Kelly Kramer, an associate in the department.
On a pro bono basis, we represent the Owens family that have lived on a farm for a period of 35 years. In terms of the law of acquisitive prescription, if you are in undisturbed possession of land for a period of 30 years you then acquire ownership of that land. In this case the Owens are claiming a joint ownership of the land together with the successors in title. There is no law governing this state of affairs and we are hoping that the case will not only give the Owens title in the land that they have lived on but develop the common law relating to acquisition of land by prescription.
In 2012, we successfully obtained an acquittal of criminal charges for Dave King, a prominent business man in S.A, as well as securing a settlement with the State in a further criminal prosecution for him in 2013. These criminal prosecutions, commonly known as "King II and King I" respectively, have been described by the State as the most complex commercial criminal matters to proceed before a South African court.

Who are some of your international clients?

Some of our International clients include Bank of China, Rockwell, China Construction Bank, BHP Billiton, ADT Security Services, TEVA Pharmaceutical Works, BP, TOAL, Glencore.

What areas of law does the firm specialise in?

Some of our areas of specialisation include mining, construction, litigation, corporate and commercial, banking and finance, financial services, insurance, employment law, and other areas of law.

With over 40 international offices, what opportunities are there with regard to secondments?

Associates and other attorneys may have opportunities to be seconded to international offices but this is not likely for candidate attorneys during their articles.

Can you elaborate a bit more on your Associate Achiever Programme?

Each year the associate who is selected as the best all-round achiever will be able to participate in a programme to develop their skills at the firm's cost.The recipient of the achiever award will attend an international short term legal or leadership course or visit one of our 40 international offices. Our 2013 winner will be spending time at our New York office this year.

What is your rotation basis during articles and what training do you offer candidate attorneys?

Candidate attorneys start with an eight day orientation programme, which includes a tour of the surrounding courts and deeds offices, and are then assigned to one of our dynamic teams in the firm. You rotate every eight months, allowing you to find your niche in a law firm that specialises in most areas of law. The success of this programme is largely attributable to the mentoring and guidance provided by partners and the consultative approach we take with candidate attorney relationships. All candidate attorneys have to attend practical legal training courses approved by the law society for the purposes of admission as an attorney. We understand the demands candidate attorneys face and offer this training in-house which saves them time and transport expenses. Candidate attorneys can also join the Commercial Training Academy, available at the firm, to enhance their commercial literacy skills. Seminars, lectures and workshops take place frequently as part of our commitment to continuing legal education.

Offices in: Johannesburg

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INTERVIEW WITH WERKSMANS

Tatika Scullard | Graduate Recruitment Officer

What do you look for in students? What type of students do you want to employ at your firm?

The first impression one gets from a CV is the academics, although it is important to point out that we are not only looking for good marks, but also for applicants who are practical, enthusiastic, ambitious, diligent and most importantly, have initiative and get involved, from a very early point, in the firm’s practice. We look for the all-rounder.

What sets your firm apart from its competitors?

When it comes to the top corporate and commercial law firms, the firms work on similar highest business transactions. The difference is not in the work that we do but in who we are. Quite simply put; Werksmans hires the best people and helps them become even better. Because we are a lean organisation, our candidate attorneys are able to make a real difference. You’ll spend an entire year in a specific practice area, working very closely with directors on projects. This provides maximum opportunity for in-depth learning – you’ll be exposed to high-level work while being mentored by the best in the legal profession. Your first year rotation will be spent in our Litigation Department working on some of the country’s most high-profile cases. You’ll spend the second year of your articles with our Commercial department where you’ll be exposed to some of the country’s most complex deals. This gives you the opportunity to work with higher-calibre clients alongside exceptionally competent team made up of individuals with a great wealth of knowledge to share.

What are the drawbacks of a CA/Associate/Director working at the firm?

The drawbacks that need to be mentioned are not Werksmans specific but rather industry specific. When entering this industry it is important to keep in mind that you are not selecting a 9-5 job, the hours are long and can be erratic including late nights and weekends if necessary. Law is an industry that is highly pressurised and challenging, always demanding the highest performance of every individual. It is an industry that demands the best in order to gain and keep clients, the life blood of any organisation. The challenge to always remain on top of current affairs, research, legal knowledge and tasks such as administration can be stressful. Werksmans Attorneys, along with other employers offer employee assistance programs to help employees deal with these challenges and rise above the drawbacks. The love and passion you will have for the work that you do makes all the difference.

Where do you see the firm in five years?

Werksmans will continue to grow from strength and strength and remain one of the leading South African corporate and commercial law firms. We will continue to grow our extensive African legal network through Lex Africa.

Does the firm do any/enough pro bono work?

Werksmans Attorneys has a dedicated Pro Bono Department, staffed by a Director, Associate and two candidate attorneys. Werksmans Attorneys has a solid and extremely busy Pro Bono department; we assist a range of non-profit organisations, from large scale International Organisations to smaller recently incorporated organisations. Our legal advice ranges across the areas of labour law, NGO corporate governance, non profit company law, intellectual property law, risk management and litigation advice. Some of our clients include:

Kitty and Puppy Haven

A Spring of Hope

Haven Care Centre

Reach for a Dream

Save the Children

Amnesty International

Jane Goodall Institute

Afrika Tikkun

Food and Trees for Africa

Campaigning for Cancer

Enke: Make Your Mark

Law clinics offer the opportunity to give face to face legal advice to low income consumers who ordinarily would not have access to legal services. In our experience, applicants for legal assistance travel to the law clinics from across Johannesburg and its outskirts-we have seen clients from as far as Thokoza, Sebokeng and Lanseria-in the hope of obtaining legal help.

Clinics where Werksmans participates include:

Werksmans Consumer Law Clinic in Diepsloot

Werksmans Consumer Law at ProBono.Org in Braamfontein

ProBono.Org Housing Law Clinic

SASLAW Labour Law Clinic

Offices in: Johannesburg, Stellenbosch, Tyger Valley, Cape Town

Visit the website here.

INTERVIEW WITH SPOOR FISHER

Lidia Kardara | Skills Development Facilitator

What do you look for in students?

What type of students do you want to employ at your firm?What we look for in candidate attorneys: · consistently good academic results

· a willingness to succeed

· drive and initiative

· proven leadership qualities

· commitment to the welfare of others and their communities

· well-above-average communication skills

· well balanced all-rounders

· the ability to think "out of the box"

· people who have a sincere and passionate interest in IP law

What sets your firm apart from its competitors?

· We are a boutique law firm that deals with Intellectual Property matters.

What are the drawbacks of a CA/Associate/Director working at the firm?

· We are not aware of any drawbacks.

Where do you see the firm in five years?

· Constantly striving to be the best IP law firm in Africa.

Does the firm do any/enough pro bono work?

· Yes we meet and surpass the legal requirement for pro bono work as stipulated by the Law Society.

Offices in: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria

Visit the website here.