Introduction
The Attorneys Fidelity Fund is committed to legal education through:
Annual funding to the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) for Legal Education and Development programmes.
Annual funding to the Black Lawyers Association (BLA) for its Legal Education Centre.
Financial support to the Law Faculties and Law Clinics at South African universities.
Law Society of South Africa
Since 1990, thousands of law graduates have benefitted from Practical Legal Training (PLT) programmes, by which their academic training has been supplemented with practically-based training, thereby enhancing their skills preparatory to entry into the profession.
During 2005, the School for Legal Practice provided vocational training to more than 900 B Proc and LLB graduates in the form of 12 day and 10 evening programmes. More than 400 experienced practitioners taught in over 16 areas of practice. Graduates were entitled to a reduction in articles and to sit for the admission examination after satisfactory completion of the School’s programme.
The first distance-based School was established in 2005 in co-operation with Unisa.
The Fund provides a substantial measure of funding annually to the LSSA for the purpose of continuing legal education.
Legal Education and Development (L.E.A.D) programmes provide opportunities to practising attorneys, their candidate attorneys and employees to enhance their legal skills by keeping abreast of developments in the law and pursuing study in different areas of practice. Training is by way of seminars, workshops, and in certain instances, diplomas in association with leading South African Universities.
Contact details:
Old Main Building,
Unisa Sunnyside Campus,
145 Mears Street, Sunnyside, Pretoria, 0001
PO Box, 27167, Sunnyside, 0132
Tel: 012 441 4600
Fax: 012 341 1466
E-mail: liaison@lssalead.org.za
Website: www.lssalead.org.za
Black Lawyers Association – Legal Education Centre
The BLA-LEC is dedicated to the improvement of the legal profession and is committed to the effective management and development of human potential in accordance with its values and to the promotion of an egalitarian and equitable social order.
The “Continuing Legal Education” programme of the BLA-LEC is aimed at building capacity and making the study of law accessible to all aspirant Black legal practitioners.
Contact details:
33 Hoofd Street,
Forum 1 Level 5, Braampak,
Braamfontein, 2017
PO Box 5217, Johannesburg, 2000
Tel: 011 403 0816
Fax: 011 403 0814
E-mail: info@bla.org.za
Website: www.bla.org.za
Law Faculties And Law Clinics
The Fund provides financial support to the Law Faculties and Law Clinics at South African universities.
Why The Fund Assists Law Faculties
The Fund is committed to the provision of financial support to law faculties at South African universities for the following reasons:
- law faculties train future practitioners. To do this effectively, capacity, both as regards staff and facilities, is required.
- law faculties must function within the parameters of universities’ policy directives regarding their core activities. Projects not falling within such core activities have to be funded from outside sources.
- universities have in recent times had to contend with cutbacks in funding, both as regards staff and facilities.
- the Fund and the organised attorneys’ profession wish to encourage the maintenance of high standards in legal education.
Policy Considerations
Projects which encompass the following objectives will generally receive favourable consideration:
- academic excellence, with particular reference to capacity building at historically disadvantaged universities.
- practical and legal skills training.
- continuing legal education programmes.
- human rights and constitutional programmes.
- community service (other than law clinics and advice bureau).
- active involvement and academic empowerment of students.
- promotion of African jurisprudence.
- improvement of students’ literacy and legal skills.
Project Assessment Criteria
The Funds Grant Committee will apply the following general criteria in assessing projects proposed by law faculties for funding:
- relevance within the context of current developments in South Africa.
- the potential for sharing resources, expertise and results between law faculties and other institutions.
- the potential for providing or enhancing training in the following practical skills of students: literacy, communication, computer use, research, analytical and research-based problem solving.
- the incorporation of, or emphasis on, principles of accounting and management, ethics and professional conduct.
The availability of other funding and resources.
