About Craig
"I am a candidate attorney at Peyper Attorneys in my second year of articles. I obtained my LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand and my undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Town."
Background
Craig was a top achiever at our recent awards ceremony for alumni who excelled in the LPC exams.
On Gawie le Roux's Attorneys' admission exam courses
"The lectures themselves were a good outline of the exams, with a couple of useful tips for how to go about both writing the exams and studying for them. However, the lectures are really an introduction to the notes. The notes are the important difference maker in actually preparing for the exams. Granted, I chose the lecture recording and notes option for Paper 1 and Paper 3, so I missed out on the interactive aspect of the lectures, which could be extremely useful if exploited effectively."
Craig's study tips for the CBE
"There is a great temptation to ‘spot’ for the exams, particularly Paper 3. Candidates who are simultaneously completing their PVT training period are already incredibly busy, and any ‘shortcut’ seems tempting. It’s all too common to hear phrases like, 'They haven’t asked about this for five years, it’s definitely going to come up this time.' This temptation is compounded by the fact that the syllabus for the admission exams is massive."
"My only tip for the exams is to avoid this kind of thinking. There is no shortcut to success; studying as much as you can is the only path to passing. Every ‘shortcut’ only increases your chances of something going wrong come exam day."
How to secure articles as a candidate attorney
"Everyone’s path to articles is different. My only tip is that if you ever have the opportunity for an interview or to meet a prospective principal in person, then make sure your presence in the room makes an impact.
People tend to forget résumés quite quickly, no matter how impressive they might be. Leaving a lasting impact in person has a much higher chance of getting results."
Top takeaways from Craig's articles of clerkship
- "Practice in the courts is different from academic study in a way that cannot be explained until experienced. It is far more human than a reading of criminal or civil procedure can make it seem.
- No matter how similar a case may seem at first, there are always factual differences that make an impact. In making an argument, the specific context of this particular matter must be considered.
- Reading a judgment giving the outcome of a court’s reasons for a particular order can make the process that must be followed seem simple. When you have to make the steps yourself to get to that order, then you realise that there are innumerable paths you could take."
What's next?
"The law is one of those fields that will always be a constant learning experience. For the moment, securing my right of appearance in the High Court is my most likely next step."