Associations for the legal profession

September 9th, 2022
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Earlier this year, the Law Society of South Africa approached Legal Associations in South Africa to answer a few questions on their associations. The invitations were sent out and several legal associations heeded the call. Production Editor, Kathleen Kriel, has collated the answers for SA Lawyer.

 

 

 

BLACK LAWYERS ASSOCIATION

Where does your association operate?
National.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One national office, with nine branch offices.

 

When was your association established?
1977

 

What is the purpose of your association?
The Black Lawyers Association’s (BLA)purpose is to build a society that is free of racial and gender discrimination. We support and maintain a democratic society and an independent judiciary that is transparent and accountable, and we work towards a transformed legal profession and judiciary. We also protect the rights of women and children.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
All legal practitioners and aspirant legal practitioners irrespective of colour, race, gender or creed who accept the BLA’s policies, principles and abide by its constitution.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)

  • Being an active part of a progressive movement of legal practitioners and contributing in formation of its policies.
  • Participating in decision making on matters affecting the organisation provided you are in good standing at the time.
  • Continued legal education and member support.
  • Access to engage in matters of the profession, submit proposals on any matter that affects the organisation and or the legal profession.
  • Internship programmes for aspirant legal practitioners.
  • Mentorship and support during admission examination period.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
1010.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
R 1000 annually for admitted legal practitioners. Candidate legal practitioners are advised to contact relevant branches for membership fees.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
Yes. Membership drives conducted by branches at courts and other legal stakeholder institutions. Through our website and direct communication internal communication with members.-

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
The BLA uses newsletters, its website, WhatsApp instant messaging and e-mails to engage with its members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact Mrs Judith Mabelane at 071 717 3303 or e-mail: admin@blaonline.org.za. Visit the BLA website at: www.blaonline.org.za.

 

Is there any other information that you think potential members should know about your association and its future?
The organisation held a Constitutional Summit and the National General Meeting during May 2022, and the BLA has participated in various social outreach programmes in honour of Youth Day on 16 June and Mandela Day. We also celebrated Women’s month in collaboration with the Law Society of South Africa and the National Association of Democratic Lawyers by hosting seminars for female legal practitioners. The BLA’s annual general meeting will be held during the month of November.


 

CORPORATE COUNSEL ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA NPC (CCASA)

Where does your association operate?
National.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One.

 

When was your association established?
1982.

 

What is the purpose of your association?
The CCASA’s vision is to promote the standing and value of Corporate Counsel, both  in South Africa and on a global basis and to be the Association of choice for all Corporate Counsel in South Africa.

The overriding objective of CCASA is to promote the common interest and value of Corporate Counsel and demonstrate their multi-faceted roles, which includes –

  • acting as the voice and public face of Corporate Counsel;
  • providing leadership to those providing in-house legal services;
  • serving the needs of Corporate Counsel by providing members with the resources and the networks that are needed to better serve their organisations;
  • directing and guiding the Corporate Counsel profession in South Africa by setting common standards for the Corporate Counsel professional;
  • promoting and improving the proficiency and competency of its members and the Corporate Counsel profession in general;
  • encouraging the highest professional and ethical conduct among its members and the Corporate Counsel profession in general;
  • regulating and determining the acceptable qualifications and standards for Corporate Counsel in South Africa; and
  • offering up-to-date information on national and international trends in the provision of in-house legal services.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
CCASA members are employed by and represent more than 60 blue-chip companies and other organisations in South Africa. CCASA offers the following membership categories, opening the door to a powerful array of benefits, which have been curated and crafted to enhance your career and hone your legal and business skills:

  • Ordinary members: Available to an individual Corporate Counsel in their personal capacity who joins CCASA for their own account.
  • Commercial and corporate members: Available to an organisation that employs Corporate Counsel. While the membership is held by the organisation, it will be represented by the individual Corporate Counsel employed by the organisation.
  • Associate members: Available to attorneys and other persons or organisations who have an interest in being a member of CCASA but who are not employed as Corporate Counsel.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)
No other Professional Body is able to deliver a service, which assists Corporate Counsel across South Africa with the development of their professional skills and careers. Some of these services are included in the annual CCASA membership subscription fee, but others, such as the accredited certification program, training courses and networking events are on a fee basis, with a discount offered to CCASA members. The value-added in-house counsel services developed for Corporate Counsel include:

  • Accredited professional designations: Gain a competitive advantage in your career, grow your influence and earning potential by obtaining an accredited certified Corporate Counsel designation. It is the only accredited program of its kind in South Africa.
  • Courses: Topic specific workshops, which ensure that Corporate Counsel keep updated with developments in law and business. A variety of informal educational courses are offered each year, which are presented by Corporate Counsel for Corporate Counsel. All courses are run live and online.
  • Legislation updates sessions: These sessions cover relevant changes to laws, which impact on the Corporate Counsel’s day-to-day activities and outputs.
  • Team Talks: Team Talks are held online monthly and cover best legal practices and challenges facing Corporate Counsel.
  • e-Magazine: The CCASA publishes a regular newsletter titled ‘In-House Brief’, which reports on the Association’s activities and contains articles of interest to Corporate Counsel and the legal profession in general.
  • Online Resources: Complementary access to popular online tools and resources, such as the CCASA’s Knowledgebox, Lexology’s weekly newsstand, the In-House Counsel Worldwide (ICW) Universal Competencies Profile, surveys about the profession and much more.
  • CCASAlerters: Information at your fingertips. Stay informed on leading trends in the legal profession through CCASAlerters.
  • Template of the Month: Once a month, a ‘Template of the Month’ is shared with members. These generic templates take the form of various types of agreements or policies, which Corporate Counsel deals with on a regular basis.
  • Representations: The CCASA is the national voice and forum for Corporate Counsel in South Africa. From time to time the CCASA makes representations to the relevant regulatory authorities on matters concerning Corporate Counsel and their work fields.
  • Surveys: Exclusive access to surveys on compensation for Corporate Counsel, including the opinions and practices of other in-house lawyers.
  • Liaison with other Associations: The CCASA has strong alliances with corporate counsel organisations around the world, including being a member of ICW. The ICW is a global network of associations that is focused on the profession of in-house counsel. Member associations have formed a community of international in-house counsel working together to promote the value of the in-house profession, share knowledge and best practices across borders and foster global connections.
  • Mentoring: Senior CCASA members are available to provide mentorship to in-house professionals.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
The CCASA currently has an active membership base of approximately 800 individuals.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
Membership fees are calculated on a sliding scale for in-house counsel, namely, the annual membership fees for one representative is R 5 040 (excluding VAT). If more than one person from the same organisation joins as a member, the membership fee charged is less per person.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
The CCASA has advertising and sponsorship opportunities available. Contact the Secretariat at info@ccasa.co.za to find out more.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
The CCASA uses a newsletter, LinkedIN and its website to engage members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact Mrs Ronel Lindeque at (011) 476 3217 or e-mail: info@ccasa.co.za or visit our website at: www.ccasa.co.za.

 

Is there any other information that you think potential members should know about your association and its future?
Professional designation and accreditation program: The CCASA holds a formal recognition by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as the Professional Body that represents the Corporate Counsel profession in South Africa. By virtue of its accredited recognition, the CCASA offers four certified professional designations in accordance with the SAQA-approved CCASA criteria.

These professional designations are –

  • Corporate Legal Support Practitioner;
  • Corporate Legal Counsel;
  • Corporate Senior Legal Counsel; and
  • Corporate General Counsel.

The CCASA accreditation process and resultant acquisition of the relevant CCASA designation is testimony that the member meets the stringent competency levels required and expected from a Corporate Counsel and is a solid indication that the member is committed to the advancement of their career, whether new to in-house, in a mid-level position or General Counsel.


 

JOHANNESBURG ATTORNEYS’ ASSOCIATION

Where does your association operate?
The greater Johannesburg cluster of courts.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One.

 

When was your association established?
80 years ago.

What is the purpose of your association?
To represent the interests of legal practitioners who have business with any of the courts and public offices (Masters, Deeds Offices, etcetera) in the greater Johannesburg cluster.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
Any legal practitioner who has business in the greater Johannesburg cluster of courts.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)

  • Run a better practice;
  • protect the rule of law and human rights; and
  • serve justice.

You would, no doubt, as an attorney in practice, have come up against numerous logistical and operational difficulties in your dealings with the government offices and officials, with clumsy or badly drafted laws, and with a general apathy and lack of resources in the main offices that you rely on to do your job (such as the courts, Master’s offices, Deeds offices, Family Advocates’ Offices, etcetera).

You may be less affected if you work more for commercial clients than if you work for individuals, but you would still have suffered the indignities of having to deal with the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and government.

The Johannesburg Attorneys Associations’ job is to fix, or help as best we can, to alleviate problems that attorneys (and ultimately their clients, and justice) suffer from.

We work with every stakeholder in the industry (including the courts, Masters’ offices, Deeds offices, Sars, National Prosecuting Authority, local municipalities, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, South African Local Government Association, the Ministry of Justice, Probono.org and other pro bono institutions, universities, human rights organisations such as the National Association of Democratic Lawyers, and other industry bodies such as the Gauteng Attorneys Association, Pretoria Attorneys Association, Legal Practice Council  and the Law Society of South Africa just to mention a few).

For example, we are heavily involved in –

  • shortening the length of awaiting trial dates;
  • resolving lost file issues and sorting out filing systems in government offices;
  • assistance with CaseLines and CourtOnline;
  • initiating and participating in pilot projects such as the CaseLines;
  • crime/safety issues at the various courts;
  • pro bono representation for indigent persons;
  • mentoring and protecting the rights of candidates; and
  • lobbying to change legislation or otherwise deal with issues that threatens attorneys’ livelihoods (such as the Debt Collection Bill, Road Accident Benefit Scheme (RABS) Bill and ProxiSmart matter).

We have regular on-going liaisons with all industry role players to address new, and maintain the resolution of, older issues. We have networks of contacts that we can reach out to at any time to assist with any of these logistical issues.

We do this without any remuneration. No trips abroad or to conferences. No fancy lunches at lodges for indabas. We do it every day, in our courts and government offices, by spending countless hours meeting and strategising with government officials and implementing projects to make the lives of attorneys and their clients better.

We do this for the love of the law, for justice, and to better serve those who need the protection of the law the most. We are always available (day and night) and are indiscriminate in our efforts to assist our members, no matter how large or small the problem, their practice or the time/cost element involved in dealing with it.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
Approximately 2 000 members and we continue to grow.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
R 690 per annum (including VAT).  Member are invoiced annually.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
Yes.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
The Johannesburg Attorneys’ Associations’ uses newsletters, website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp instant messaging to engages its members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact Viv Joubert at (010) 449 3023 or e-mail: viv@jaa.org.za or visit our website at: www.jaa.org.za.

 

Is there any other information that you think potential members should know about your association and its future?
Those wanting to become members can simply apply on our website.


 

SOUTH AFRICAN BAR ASSOCIATION

Where does your association operate?
National.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One.

 

When was your association established?
2021.

 

What is the purpose of your association?
Bar Association for Legal Practice Council (LPC) registered advocates.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
All LPC registered advocates may join the South African Bar Association.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)
Flexibility and inclusivity.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
Approximately 100 members.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
R 450 per month for advocates with three years’ experience or more.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
We present weekly training session for legal practitioners, free of charge.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
The South African Bar Association uses LinkedIn to engage with its members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact advocate Bart Ford at 084 589 5290 or at 010 013 2397 or e-mail: adv.ford@rsabar.net or visit www.rsabar.net.

 

Is there any other information that you think potential members should know about your association and its future?
To make legal practice more accessible for advocates.


 

SOUTH AFRICAN CHAPTER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JUDGES (SAC-IAWJ)

Where does your association operate?
Regionally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

 

How many offices does your association have?
The International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) has its headquarters in Washington DC with offices in over 100 countries worldwide. The SAC-IAWJ has offices in the province where the secretary resides, which is currently Western Cape.

 

When was your association established?
SAC-IAWJ was formally inaugurated on   8 August 2004 by then South African President Thabo Mbeki.

 

What is the purpose of your association?
The key objective of SAC-IAWJ is to empower and advance women within the judiciary and the legal profession. It is founded on the principles of equality, respect for human rights and an inclusive justice system.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)

  • Judicial officers;
  • law students;
  • friends of the Chapter;
  • patrons of the Chapter; and
  • retired Members of the Chapter.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)
SAC-IAWJ members provide a support system for one another and identify and encourage women practitioners to make themselves available for judicial office. SAC-IAWJ runs programmes to enhance and empower its members. These are run locally as well as internationally in collaboration with like-minded stakeholders. It has a dedicated and very successful mentorship programme for final year law students, run in partnership with local universities.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
326 members.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
There is a joining fee of R 200 and monthly dues are R 260  per month,  which are deducted by stop order or debit order from your salary.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
No.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
We use newsletters, our website, and WhatsApp instant messaging to engage with our members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact the Secretary: Senior Magistrate, Anthia Ramos at 071  674  1672 or e-mail: ARamos@justice.gov.za or Assistant Secretary: Tshadi Leshomo at 083  284  4755 or e-mail: TLeshomo@justice.gov.za.


 

SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICO-LEGAL ASSOCIATION

Where does your association operate?
National.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One.

 

When was your association established?
2005.

 

What is the purpose of your association?
The SAMLA is an independent, neutral, educational, and transparent organisation not for profit, funded by membership contributions, donations and funds generated through seminars.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
All medico-legal experts in the medico legal field.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)
Training and education.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
449.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)

  • Academic Membership: R 300.
  • Adjunct Member: R 800.
  • Member: R 800
  • Member with registration as a medico-legal practitioner: R 1 200.
  • Student: R 150.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
Exploring the possibility for advertising yes, but no sponsorship offerings.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
The SAMLA uses newsletters, website, Facebook, and LinkedIn to engage with its members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
Contact Christa Koelewyn at 082 839 5466 or e-mail: info@samla.org.za or visit our website at www.medicolegal.org.za.

 

Is there any other information that you think potential members should know about your association and its future?
Potential members can read the newsletters on our website at https://medicolegal.org.zafnews.php.


 

SOUTH AFRICAN PARALEGAL ASSOCIATION

Where does your association operate?
National.

 

How many offices does your association have?
One.

 

When was your association established?
2012.

 

What is the purpose of your association?
To register paralegals and in that way make representation to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development regarding a Bill for paralegals, which will in turn, become an Act for the recognition of paralegals in South Africa.

 

Who do you represent? (Who can join your association?)
All practicing and qualified paralegals, namely, those who have completed certificate courses at various universities, colleges and have gained practical experience in law offices or State Departments, or in the private sector, such as insurance brokers, etcetera.

 

What are the key reasons for joining your association? (Membership benefits?)
Without a unified front to get recognition, it is very difficult to convince the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development that paralegals do in fact play a role in the judicial system. Prior to democracy, offices offering advice were the order of the day in marginalized communities. This has now evolved to paralegals operating independently, especially those who gained their qualification from a university.

 

How many active members do you currently have?
2 300 members.

 

What does it cost to join your association? (And how do fees get paid/how often etc?)
R 200 per annum.

 

Do you offer advertising or sponsorship opportunities to reach your members? (If so, please describe.)
No, we do not offer such opportunities.

 

Which of the following interactions/options do you use to engage your members?
We use e-mails to engage with our members.

 

Who should potential members contact to join your association or get more info?
They can contact the Chairperson, Quinton D’Oliveira at 073 639 2132 or e-mail: q.doliveira@saparalegal.co.za. Potential members can also visit our website at: www.saparalegal.co.za

 

Conclusion

To have your association featured in the SA Lawyer, e-mail Kathleen@derebus.org.za and the questions will be sent to you for the next issue of the supplement.

Kathleen Kriel BTech (Journ) is the Production Editor at De Rebus.
This article was first published in SA Lawyer in 2022 (Sept) DR 9.

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