The Law Society of the Northern Provinces (LSNP) is the statutory body governing the attorneys profession in the Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Limpopo Provinces. The Law Society however is not an attorney’s office and cannot assist members of the public by giving legal advice.
This has since changed and now the the Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) brings together the Black Lawyers Association, the National Association of Democratic Lawyers and provincial attorneys’ associations, in representing the attorneys’ profession in South Africa.
The Law Society however is not an attorney’s office and cannot assist members of the public by giving legal advice. The function of the LSSA is to investigate complaints against attorneys, ensuring compliance with the formal requirements of the Attorneys Act, 1979 and the promotion of uniform practice rules and discipline amongst practitioners. Complaints against attorneys are attended to by an experienced professional team of admitted attorneys and if there is a complaint against an attorney, such complaint should be referred to the Law Society in writing by way of an affidavit, whereupon the matter will be properly investigated and attended to by the Law Society. The LSSA also offers general services to assist members of the public who make use of the services of attorneys. The offices of the Law Society can also provide you with general information relating to the attorneys’ profession and the administration of justice such as for example attorney’s fees, address particulars of attorneys, admission requirements and other important information which will of course include the procedure to be followed to lodge a complaint against an attorney with the Law Society.
It needs to be mentioned however that the disciplinary authority of the LSSA is limited to the disciplinary sanctioning of attorneys who have acted unprofessionally and that the Law Society does not have authority to make orders on the same basis as a court of law, to compel attorneys to compensate a member of the public in respect of civil damages incurred. The good standing of an attorney who practises for own account can be determined by establishing whether the attorney is in possession of a valid Fidelity Fund certificate.
Contact Details for LSSA
Law Society of South Africa
304 Brooks Street, Menlo Park, Pretoria
Tel: +27 (0)12 366 8800
Website: www.lssa.org.za
General Information
lssa@lssa.org.za