RECOMMENDATIONS NF PLENARY MINISTER 9 Fully functional PCs

LPCLPFF Ombud

MoJ

RECOMMENDATIONS NF PLENARY MINISTER 9 Fully functional PCs Functions at 3 levels: LPC, PCs & Committees Costing & Funding:

361 employeesTotal cost R213 680 449 in first yearLevies on LPs R2500 / R500Shortfall R32 451 500Negotiations with Law Societies may result inadjustments.

RECOMMENDATIONS NF PLENARY MINISTER Election of 16 LPs on LPC (in Regulations):

Only practicing LPs to voteSeparate voters rollsAttorneys: 4 BF, 3 BM, 1 WF, 2 WM = 10Advocates: 2 BF, 2 BM, 1 WF, 1 WM = 6

Note: Election of LPs on PCs ito Rules are to be on a similar basis.

CODE OF CONDUCT was approved by NF Plenary and was published in Gazette on 10 Feb 2017Largely based on Law Societies’ Uniform Rules, GCB Rules and CLASA Code of Conduct Chapters:

1. Definitions 2. General provisions 3. Conduct of attorneys 4. Conduct of referral advocates - s34(2)(a)(i) 5. Conduct of advocates with trust accounts - s34(2)(a)(ii)6. Conduct relating to appearances in court7. Conduct of LPs not in private practice

Future amendments can be made by LPC.

RULES allocated to NF:Complaints and disciplinary procedure

Rules allocated to LPC (s95): Now also allocated to NF ito Legal Practice Amendment Bill 2017

Legal education Rules still outstandingLPFF and Ombud must also make RulesAll Rules must be published for comment.

REGULATIONSNF has to recommend to Minister: Election procedure for LPC PCs, areas, functions Practical vocational training Rights of appearance of candidate LPs

Regulations (s94): Now also allocated to NF itoLegal Practice Amendment Bill 2017, to draft and recommend to Minister but legal education and assessment still outstandingAll Regulations must be approved by Parliament.

Staff and infrastructure of NFNegotiate transfer agreements with Law Societies: Determine staffing requirements of LPC and PCs Determine admin system requirements: Finance,

staff, communication, etc Due diligence of all contracts of Law Societies Transfer of records, databases, work in progress,

liabilities and staff of Law Societies: an inventory has been recorded .

Benevolent Funds of Law Societies: concerns now addressed in LPAB 2017 – LPC will have power to establish and administer Negotiate with staff of non-regulatory entities (s97)(2)(b) regarding functions in LPC and PCs

2349

1448

15852

3922

1020

7231059

448

5716

Advocates can elect to accept briefs directly from the public and have trust accounts

FF Board’s administrative powersOmbud for Legal Services (Ch 5)Fees (s35) - tariff to be prescribed in

RegulationsMandatory Continued Practice DevelopmentMandatory Community ServiceNew funding regime.

• Chapter 10: National Forum (1 Feb 2015) - 3 yrs lifespan

• Chapter 2: LPC & PCs; Exco, EO & staff (Feb 2018?)

• Rest of LP Act; promulgation of Rules and Regulations; abolishment of Law Societies.

21 Forum members: 8 Attorneys8 Advocates1 Legal Aid SA1 LPFF Board member1 Law teacher 2 Ministerial appointees.

Exco & 4 Working Committees:

• Admin & HR

• Governance

• Rules & Code of Conduct

• Education, Standards & Accreditation.

Admitted by HC –s24Enrolled by LPC –s30Conveyancer & Notary –s26Appearance: Any court, but certificate required for HC/SCA/CC*–s25Briefed by public, must have trust acc & FF cert & comply with Ch 7 –s34(1)

Practise: •Own account•In juristic entity with

other Attorneys•Law Clinic •LASA•State Att / SAHRC-s34(5) & (7)

Conversion ito Rules –s32

Admitted by HC –s24Enrolled by LPC –s30

Appearance: Any court-s25

Briefed by public & Justice Centres, must have trust acc & FF cert & comply with Ch7 -s34(2)(b)Practise: •Own account•May not share fees•Law Clinic•LASA•State Adv / SAHRC-s34(6)

Conversion ito Rules –s32

Admitted by HC –s24Enrolled by LPC –s30

Appearance: Any court-s25

Briefed by Attorneys & Justice Centres –s34(2)(a)

Practise: •Own account•May not share fees•Law Clinic•LASA•State Adv / SAHRC-s34(6)

Conversion ito Rules-s32.

Access to the profession:• Unified legal profession• Uniform training?• Uniform admission requirements • Minimum remuneration for candidate

attorneys and pupils• Uniform registration with LPC• Easy conversion between professions.

• LPC: Non-practitioners on regulatory body

• DCs: Lay persons; open hearings; compensation; publication of outcomes

• Mandatory continued practice development (CPD) training

• Mandatory Community service• Recognition of foreign qualifications and

admission of foreign LPs.

The SALRC must, within two years after the commencement of Chapter 2, investigate and report back to the Minister with recommendations on the following:(a) the manner in which to address high legal fees;(b) interventions to improve access to justice;(c) a mechanism which will determine legal fees;(d) the processes such mechanism should follow in determining fees;(e) the desirability of giving clients the option of voluntarily agreeing to pay higher or lower fees; and(f) the obligation by a legal practitioner to conclude a mandatory fee arrangement with a client when that client secures that legal practitioner’s services. 

Until the investigation contemplated in subsection (4) has been completed and the recommendations contained therein have been implemented by the Minister, fees in respect of litigious and non‐litigious legal services rendered by legal practitioners, juristic entities, law clinics or Legal Aid South Africa must be in accordance with the tariffs made by the Rules Board for Courts of Law.

When receiving instructions from client, the Attorney or Adv+ must provide a written cost estimate notice of:

• fees, disbursements and other costs• LP’s hourly rate• client’s right to negotiate fees• work to be done iro each step of the

litigation process• the likelihood of engaging an Advocate, the

fees payable and the costs recovery regime• legal and financial consequences of

withdrawal from litigation.

The Attorney or Adv+ must also verbally explain every aspect of the cost estimate notice

Client must sign the cost estimate notice

Client can on his/her own initiative agree with LP in writing, to pay fees in excess of or below tariff.

Failure by Attorney or Adv+ to comply, constitutes misconduct and client is not obliged to pay until LPC has reviewed the matter

Minister may determine maximum tariff payable to LPs by State Departments, Provincial or Local Government

Contingency Fees Act 1997 will still apply.

Minister must prescribe after consultation with LPC

Can be a component of PVT of Candidate LPs, or

Recurring service by practising LPs, as prerequisite for continued enrolment

May include (in both instances):• Service in the State, approved by the

Minister, in consultation with the LPC;• Service at the SAHRC;

May also include:• Service, without any remuneration, as a

judicial officer in the case of LPs, including as a Commissioner in the Small Claims Courts;

• Legal education and training on behalf of the LPC or academic institution or NGO; or

• any other service which the LP or candidate LP may want to perform, with the approval of the Minister

LPC May grant exemption, as set out in Rules.

The Council must, within two years after the commencement of Chapter 2, investigate and make recommendations to the Minister on -

• Limited liability practices• MDPs• Paralegals.

http://www.justice.gov.za/nflpEO: Charity Mhlungu

012 622 6342 

www.lssa.org.zaCEO: Nic Swart

012 441 4600

CLS

KZNLS

FSLS

LSNP

LSSA

29

1 FEB

2015

1 FEB

2016

1 FEB

2017

1 AUG

2016

1 AUG

2015

1 AUG

2017

LPC

PC

PC

PCPC

MoJ to determine areas &delegated functionsInfrastructureElection of LPs on PCsAppoint staff & committees.

GCB AFT NBC NFA

InfrastructureEO, Staff & CommitteesMake Rules incl election of PCs RegulationsCode of ConductRolls & Data.

Regulatoryfunctions

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE A SMOOTH HAND-OVER?

CLS

KZNLS

FSLS

LSNP

LSSA1 F

EB 20

15

1 FEB

2016

1 FEB

2017

1 AUG

2016

1 AUG

2015

1 AUG

2017

LPC

PC

PC

PCPC

21 Months 6

NF Tasks Oct 2015 – Aug 2017Advise MoJ on:• Number of PCs, areas, composition & functions

• Election procedure for LPC• Manner in which PCs must be elected• Practical vocational training & right of appearance of Candidate LPs

• Draft all Rules required before LPC & PCs can function (including s95) & publish in Gazette for comment

• Draft & advise MoJ on all Regulations (s94).

NF Tasks Oct 2015 – Aug 2017• Agreement with Law Societies regarding transfer of assets, liabilities & staff

• Cost analysis of LPC & PCs• Recommend funding for LPC & PCs• Source premises & infrastructure for LPC & PCs.

CLS

KZNLS

FSLS

LSNP

LSSA1 F

EB 20

15

1 FEB

2016

1 FEB

2017

1 AUG

2016

1 AUG

2015

1 AUG

2017

LPC

PC

PC

PCPC

21 Months

1 AUG 2017 – 1 FEB 2018• NF to oversee election of LPs to first LPC• NF to provide guidance & support for LPC to become established – appointment of EO & staff, acquisition of premises and infrastructure

• Establishment of PCs by LPC• Realignment of existing functions & processes to LPC functions & processes

• NF and Law Societies to ensure IT systems & national rolls are in place.

1 AUG 2017 – 1 FEB 2018

• NF to facilitate agreement between Law Societies & LPC/PCs i.t.o. S 197 of LRA

• NF to oversee transfer of all records, databases, work in progress, assets, liabilities & staff.

1 FEB 2018• Law Societies cease to exist• LPC & PCs become operational• Rest of the Act comes into operation.

1 - 28 FEB 2018• Advocates organisations’ regulatory functions transferred to LPC & PCs

• NF’s final meeting with LPC i.t.o. s105(3)• NF is dissolved.

S96(1): The duration of the NF is for a period not exceeding 3 years [from 1 Feb 2015] and it ceases to exist on the date of commencement of Chapter 2 [1 Feb 2018]

S120(3): Chapter 2 comes into operation 3 years after the date of commencement of Chapter 10 [1 Feb 2015] or on an earlier date fixed by President.

S105(3): The NF must, before its dissolution, meet with the Council for the purposes of handing over. 39

When Law Societies are dissolved, the LPC and PCs must be ready to function effectively

To achieve this, there are 2 possibilities:1. The dissolution of the Law Societies can be

postponed until the LPC and PCs are established ito the current provisions and resultant timeframes, or

2. The NF can assist with the establishment of the LPC and PCs, by performing some of the tasks earmarked for the LPC, in order that the LPC and PCs can be ready by the time the Law Societies are dissolved. 19

The National Forum must, within 24 months of the commencement of this Chapter, negotiate with and reach an agreement with the law societies referred to in section 56 of the Attorneys Act and any other similar statutory bodies still regulating the legal profession established in the former homelands, in respect of the transfer of their assets, rights, liabilities, obligations and staff, to the Council or Provincial Councils, as well as the date on which the law societies will be dissolved and such transfer will be effected, provided that such date should not be later than 6 months after the commencement of Chapter 2.

21

The existing law societies must continue to perform their powers and functions until the commencement of Chapter 2. date of transfer to be agreed upon in terms of section 97(2)(a).

22

21 Forum members: 8 Attorneys8 Advocates1 Legal Aid SA1 LPFF Board member1 Law teacher 2 Ministerial appointees.

8 Attorneys, nominated by LSSA:

BLA: Lutendo Sigogo, Martha Mbele

NADEL: Max Boqwana, Krish Govender

STATS: Manette Strauss, Janine Myburgh, Jan Maree, Jan Stemmett.

8 Advocates:Willem vd Linde (Jhb), Dali Mpofu (Jhb), Greg Harpur (KZN), Thami Ncongwane (Pta), (Jhb), Anna Annandale (KZN), Dumisa Ntsebesa (Jhb), Jurgens Prinsloo (Jhb), Mark Hawyes

1 LASA: Brian Nair1 AFF: Abe Mathebula1 Teacher of Law: Prof Managay Reddi2 Ministerial appointees: Kgomotso Moroka

SC, Thina Siwendu.

23 Council members: 10 Attorneys - elected ito Rules 6 Advocates – elected ito Rules 2 Teachers of law 3 Ministerial appointees 1 Legal Aid SA 1 LPFF Board representativeMust be representative of race, gender, people with disabilities and regionsLPC must establish Provincial Councils and delegate functions to them.

Recommend to Minister within 24 months: Election procedure for the first LPC Establishment of PCs & areas of

jurisdiction Composition, powers & functions of

PCs Election procedure for PCs Practical Training of CAs and Pupils CAs’ right of appearance.

1 Feb 2015: National Forum established 18 July 2015: 4 working Committees:• Admin & HR• Education• Governance• Rules & Code of ConductThe NF must:• Draw up a Code of Conduct• Draw up some of the Rules• Advise the Minister on PCs, LPC & PC elections, training etc. 

The NF must reach agreement with the 4 statutory Law Societies regarding the transfer of assets, liabilities and staff to the LPC and PCs 

Chapter 2 must come into operation – 1 Feb 2018 (or sooner) – establishes the

LEGAL PRACTICE COUNCIL• Funding must be allocated • Premises and infrastructure of LPC • Election of LPs to LPC • Chair & Deputy appointed • Exco appointed.

• EO & staff appointed by LPC • Council must keep a Roll of LPs• Determine fees payable to LPC• Establish substructures to attend to functions• Delegate powers and assign functions• Agreements with service providers• Regulations by Minister; some after consultation with LPC or FF Board; must be gazetted

• Rules by LPC, Ombud & FF Board; must be gazetted for comment.

Provincial Councils must be established, by LPC• Minister to prescribe areas of jurisdiction• Premises and infrastructure of PCs• Staff of PCs – appointed by LPC or PCs?• Election of PCs• Functions delegated from LPC• Appointment of Committees of PCs.

• Agreement between LPC (and PCs?) and existing Law Societies ito s 197 of the Labour Relations Act 1995 (transfer of a going concern) regarding transfer of staff 

• Rest of the LPA comes into operation• Transfer of all records, work in progress, assets, liabilities and staff from the Law Societies

• Law Societies abolished• Transfer of regulatory work in progress from Advocates structures.

Prepare & publish Code of Conduct

Make Rules

Negotiate and agree with Law Societies for the transfer of assets, rights, obligations and staff to LPC / PCs

(If no agreement: arbitration).

Single unified statutory body to regulate all LPs and Candidate LPs

Must facilitate a transformed and restructured legal profession that is accountable, efficient and independent

Must promote access to justice and protect the public interest.

• Retired Judge, appointed by President and funded by DoJ

• Must ensure fair and efficient investigation of complaints against LPs

• Can investigate maladministration of the LPA

• Can refer matters to prosecuting authority, Court or other forum

• Can review decisions of the LPFF Board.