"I am currently a final year candidate attorney at Wessels & Vorster Inc, a small dynamic firm specialising in civil and criminal litigation as well as estates and debt collection. I am awaiting my admission date from Court Online. My application for admission as an attorney and notary was recently issued."
Background
"I have always loved school and learning in general. I believe that one should never stop learning and always remind oneself that there is more to learn and improve upon. I completed my high school education at Leeuwenhof Akademie. I started with BCom Law in 2017 at NWU, Potchefstroom Campus with a major in economics. I graduated in 2020; Covid graduation was hectic. Thereafter I commenced my LLB in 2020, and graduated in 2022 cum laude, top 10 of my class.
I decided this was not enough so I continued my studies and pursued an LLM, which I obtained in April 2024. During this time I also did 6 months of law school as I believed that I needed more practical training. Covid was such a disruption and really interfered with our preparation for articles. I commenced my PVT contract in March 2023. I am currently also enrolled for my LLD and my research field is space law."
Preparing for the notarial exam
"The recordings were an essential part of my success. In conjunction with the notes, the recordings were fantastic as Erinda’s practical examples and explanation of the work really simplified it and made it easier to understand. I found that by simply understanding the work I did not have to study as much. I still prepared for a month. Every weekend and evenings after work I would listen to the recordings on a set schedule and make notes (which was made easier by the fact that the recordings could be paused for short periods of time, allowing for proper notes to be made).
I did not have a lot of time to prepare as I really enrolled quite late for the Course in notarial practice, and I registered to write the exam on the day before the registrations closed. I would not advise students to forego the recordings."
Chanté's study tips
"Time management is essential. Do not expect to pass if you do not understand the work at a fundamental level and if you have not practiced some examples under pressure."
Balancing articles and postgraduate studies
"It is not always fun. You feel like you are missing out on life, having to cancel many engagements and parties and spending long evenings alone at your desk, pen in hand and 10 000 tabs open.
The grind is worth it. Time management and discipline is the best advice I have. If you set out an evening or weekend for studies, really use that time for studies. In law, it does happen that work has to be taken home for completion, urgent applications, heads of argument, and the like, but prioritisation is key. What is due first must be completed first – do not leave it on your desk for later. You will forget and not deliver the best service for your client.
Also, remember your why. Whether it’s for career purposes, clout, image, or simply a bucket list goal – stick to it, it will give you motivation when you feel like throwing in the towel.
Lastly, do not forget to ask for help. Mentors and supervisors are there for a reason. They want you to succeed."
A final word of advice
"Proper preparation is key. I have found that many simply go write and expect to pass without properly preparing or even considering what the syllabus is. If you are concerned then simply set out more time to study. (My experience may be different from someone else's. I am not married and I do not have children. I therefore can utilise my time very differently than someone with other family commitments.)
I also had a Notary Public who I consulted on occasion when I struggled with a concept and they would simplify it for me. This was fantastic as I had no prior experience with notaries or what they did prior to enrolling for the examination."
"Don’t be discouraged – it's not school. You can try again and no one will judge you."
What's next?
"My thesis topic came to me very randomly whilst I was watching a documentary on Elon Musk and Space X. A bit of background: I am also a die-hard Star Wars and Star Trek fan.
I am currently busy finalising my research proposal so I cannot say too much but it’s a new developing field. With new technologies and commercialisation of space, I think a lot of people would start looking to the stars.
Space law has existed for decades. It encompasses many other fields of law, ranging from environmental law, telecommunications, military law, property law, artificial intelligence, and criminal law.
I am currently enrolled at NWU for my LLD – I just can’t seem to get rid of being a Pukkie."