Are you currently on your journey to becoming an admitted attorney? You may already be busy with your two-year PVT contract or articles of clerkship at a law firm, but still feel overwhelmed and unsure of what your next steps should be to become admitted as an attorney in South Africa.
The Gawie le Roux Institute of Law is here to help you with the steps and requirements you need to follow to cross the finish line and practise as an attorney.
What is PVT?
Practical vocational training (PVT), formerly called practical legal training (PLT) or law school, prepares law graduates for the workplace. PVT consists of:
- the contract concluded with a law form (PVT contract/articles)
- the structured coursework programme (PVT school)
While working under a PVT contract, you will obtain practical skills and experience "on the job". The PVT school supplements your clerkship experience with practical training and knowledge.
The structured coursework programme has been standardised. The programme is typically offered in two formats:
Why should you do PVT?
PVT is one of the requirements for admission as a legal practitioner in South Africa. PVT includes serving under a PVT contract and completing a programme of structured coursework.
The GLR PVT School will help you gain a broad view of the legal profession. During your PVT contract, you might be asked to work in a specific area of the law, but the programme of structured coursework will cover a broad spectrum of skills. After successfully completing the 150-hour programme, you will receive a certificate of completion, which forms part of your application for admission and enrolment as an attorney.
Why should you do the 150-hour PVT programme?
Law school is compulsory if you want to become an attorney. To be admitted as an attorney, you must:
- complete a PVT contract of either 12 or 24 months; and
- successfully complete a programme of structured coursework of either 400- or 150-notional hours.
When is it better to choose a 150-hour PVT programme rather than a 400-hour programme?
The 150-hour programme is suitable for candidates committed to two years of articles and do not have the time for a 400-hour PVT programme.
The 150-hour programme is ideal if you:
- do not have time for the comprehensive 400-hour programme;
- are committed to a two-year PVT contract; and
- may benefit from a programme that is not as expensive. (Reg 6(1)(a))
What are the benefits of the 150-hour programme?
- It covers the same course content as the 400-hour programme, but with fewer lectures and fewer prescribed study hours.
- It complements your two-year PVT contract.
- It is less expensive than the 400-hour programme.
- Students who completed the 150-hour programme are eligible for a 10% discount when registering for Gawie le Roux's Attorneys' admission exam courses to prepare for the LPC's competency-based examinations (also called attorneys' admission exams or board exams).
What are the limitations of the 150-hour programme?
- The 150-hour programme cannot give you a reduction of one year on your PVT contract, as the 400-hour PVT programme would.
- You cannot upgrade to the 400-hour PVT programme later, as they are two separate programmes.
- You may only write the LPC's attorneys' admission exams after you served six months under a PVT contract.
What are the requirements to enrol for the 150-hour GLR PVT School?
- A certified ID;
- A certified proof of your LLB degree; and
- An academic record.
When should you complete your 150-hour PVT programme?
If you are planning to serve or are already serving under a 24-month PVT contract, you must complete the 150-hour programme of structured coursework (Reg 6(1)(a)). You must either complete this programme while you are serving under your PVT contract (Reg 6(1)(a)(i)), or within a period of no longer than 12 months after the termination of your PVT contract (Reg 6(1)(a)(ii)).
Is a PVT certificate necessary to write the attorneys' admission exams?
You may write exams:
- if you have completed your PVT contract, or
- you are busy with your PVT contract and have done at least six months of the contract.
Are the GLR PVT programmes sufficient to prepare for the attorneys' admission exam?
Gawie le Roux's PVT programmes aim to help you bridge the gap between the theoretical legal knowledge you have obtained at university and the applied practical skills needed in a law practice. Prior theoretical knowledge you obtained in your LLB degree is assumed and will not be repeated. The focus of the programmes is on practical training. This programme will, to some extent, help you to prepare for the admission exams, but will not be sufficient. The main purpose of this programme is to prepare you for practice, not for the exam.
Gawie le Roux Institute of Law offers short online courses to prepare you for each of the board exam papers. Visit the website for more info.
What is the difference between the programmes offered by GLR PVT School and the programmes offered by other institutions such as L.E.A.D.?
These programmes follow the same curriculum. You can therefore rest assured that you will cover all the material required by the Legal Practice Council (LPC). One of the benefits of the GLR PVT School is that it can be done completely online from your home, whether you choose the 150- or 400-hour programme. You will also receive comprehensive notes for each subject in the programme written by experts in each field.
Is the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law accredited by the LPC as a training provider?
Yes, the Gawie le Roux Institute of Law is an LPC-accredited training provider. Both law school programmes are accredited by the LPC. To view the most recent list of LPC-accredited training providers, contact pvt
gawieleroux.co.za.
About the author
Mikayla Haynes-Smart has been a Programme Administrator at Gawie le Roux Institute of Law since 2024. She also presents the Legal practitioners account management module for the 150-hour GLR PVT School. Mikayla holds a BCom (Law) majoring in financial management and business accounting and is pursuing a BCom Honours degree in financial management sciences.