Whether you want to start out a career as a paralegal or if you want to advance your career as a paralegal, these courses are for you. Other words for a paralegal in South Africa include legal secretary or legal assistant.
Paralegal meaning
The prefix ‘para’ comes from Greek. It means ‘beside’, ‘side by side’, or ‘at one side of’. Thus, a paralegal is a person who primarily works ‘beside’ attorneys in a law firm. A paralegal can, however, also work in other legal environments, for example, as an advocate’s secretary, or as an assistant to a legal adviser in the legal department of a large commercial enterprise such as a bank, insurance company, medical aid scheme, manufacturing company, mine, charity, non-profit organisation (NGO), etc.
But what is a paralegal in South Africa?
Although the term ‘paralegal’ has been generally adopted in the South African vernacular, partly because of its currency on American television, a more descriptive and accurate term for paralegal is ‘legal assistant’. Collectively, legal assistants are referred to as legal support staff.
Although the term ‘paralegal’ has become widely accepted, also in South Africa, we prefer the more descriptive term ‘legal assistant’. The term ‘legal assistant’ equally describes the nature of the work done. It refers to a person ‘assisting’ a qualified legal practitioner. In other words, working ‘alongside’ an attorney, an advocate, a legal adviser, or a legally qualified person in any other formal legal environment. That could be in either the formal private or the public sector. For this reason, we will use both terms interchangeably to show that they have the same meaning.
However, in South African law, a legal practitioner is an attorney or advocate only. Therefore, paralegal means a person working alongside an attorney or advocate.
Paralegal courses
These courses will provide you with the training you need to become a professional paralegal and give you the opportunity to apply to law firms across South Africa.
General courses
Specialised courses
Legal secretary salary in South Africa
Starting out as a legal secretary in South Africa can be really tough and they are not very well paid. However, if you build up a few years of experience and further your education in a few short courses, your salary can go up dramatically.
Expect to start out at around R8 000 per month for a good full-time job at a big firm. However, if you become a professional paralegal, work productively and have a few years of experience, you can earn up to R19 000 per month.
Useful tips for paralegals / legal secretaries
- Always have a notepad with you when you walk into your attorney’s office to take notes.
- Always keep a to-do list with follow-ups, either electronically or on paper.
- Every day, start with priority items first and schedule a time later in the day to respond to non-urgent email messages.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate - with the client, your boss and other staff members - constantly. This Communication skills course will help you improve your written and verbal communication skills.
- Develop a solid rapport with your attorney and get to know his or her working style and preferences. Each attorney has a different personality, communication style and preference regarding the final work outcome. It is important to adapt to the individual styles of the attorneys you work with.
- Don’t get involved in the office’s gossip grapevine and steer away from negative people.
- Take every opportunity to learn as much as you can.
- Technology should be your friend so use it to your full advantage. Whatever technology is applicable to your practice area, get to know it better than anyone else on your team.
Frequently asked questions
How many years does it take to become a paralegal in South Africa?
By doing some of the paralegal short courses at the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law you can become a paralegal in a few weeks. This is because there is no official definition of a paralegal in South African law. Finding a job as a paralegal can be much easier after completing a few short courses on the subject.
Are your paralegal courses accredited?
Our paralegal courses are not formally ‘accredited’ by any government institution, but we have something much better to offer. Since our establishment in 1994, more than 27 years ago, we have received practical recognition from attorneys, advocates and law firms countrywide. Their recognition of the true intrinsic value and the high-quality training we offer is one important reason for our continued success.
The Gawie le Roux Institute of Law is an LPC-accredited institute (practical vocational training and trial advocacy course).
Last updated on 31 January 2025.