65% average academic result ~ Completed or currently in your 3rd/4th year of your LLB degree ~ Must be a South African citizen
Training contracts - South Africa
Applications are closed.
The best possible training experience to those who join us
We are proud of the high quality work, early responsibility and exposure to clients we can offer all our Candidate Attorneys.
How to apply
Please click 'Apply Now' at the top of this page to begin your application. Once you have registered, you will need to complete the following before the deadline:
1) Eligibility and Personal Details form
2) Application form
3) Blended Assessment
Once you have submitted all of the above, our recruitment team will review your whole application and blended assessment, and will be in touch shortly after the deadline regarding your outcome.
Training and practice group rotation
Your training starts on day one at our local office induction, where you’ll have the chance to meet your fellow Candidate Attorneys, learn more about Pinsent Masons in South Africa including our different sectors. You'll familiarise yourself with the office and begin to build a network of contacts across the firm.
Our Graduate and HR teams will work with you throughout your time as a Candidate Attorney, ensuring you meet the requirements of your Contract of Articles, as outlined by the Law Society of South Africa. They'll also work with you, and the wider business, in the allocation of seats, providing support and guidance along the way.
Our Candidate Attorneys complete four six-month seats throughout their Contract of Articles. This gives you the necessary time to develop the legal and commercial depth of understanding required to take on real responsibility. Our aim is to give you broad exposure to a number of different areas of the firm to maximise your options when you come to qualify.
PLT
To make sure we recruit the very best people, regardless of their background, we’ll arrange and pay for your Practical Legal Training at an institution which is recognised by the Law Society of South Africa. We'll also cover the cost of your attorneys’ admission examination fees. This is provided you complete your full Candidate Attorney period with the firm.
Salary
Candidate Attorney salaries are benchmarked against market rates for international and local firms in South Africa and are reviewed annually. That way, we ensure that, together with the outstanding training programme we deliver, we offer a competitive remuneration and benefits package.
Entry requirements
If you don’t meet the above criteria but there are mitigating circumstances that explain why you’ve failed to meet the minimum academic requirements, there’s an opportunity for you to include this information in your application.
What we're looking for
A focus on detail
With a conscientious approach, you’ll have the ability to read and absorb large amounts of reference material and spot errors quickly. You’ll be a stickler for detail when it comes to your own writing too, ensuring it’s always clear and accurate.
An interest in business
We’re a commercial law firm, so you’ll have a genuine interest in how business works. That means keeping up-to-date with the latest business issues, as well as appreciating how legal expertise can support and steer commercial organisations.
Intellectual capability
You’ve the intellectual curiosity to explore new approaches and ask others’ opinions. With an analytical approach, you think things through and weigh up the implications, but also have the capacity to think on your feet to find solutions.
Openness
You’ll be approachable, outgoing and confident engaging with people from different backgrounds and experiences to your own. Whether you’re communicating with colleagues or clients, you’ll understand the need to adapt your message to suit your audience.
Personal drive
You’ll need to combine a real desire to be the best with the energy, ambition and enthusiasm to go the extra mile to succeed. With a can-do attitude, you’re always open to learning from your experience, so you can be even better next time.
Personal responsibility
You understand that taking responsibility for your successes and acknowledging when things go wrong will help you to constantly improve and achieve your career aims. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses, you give others confidence in your abilities.
Positive impact
With the self-assurance to voice your own opinions and defend your point of view when you need to, you’ll be a convincing and persuasive communicator. But you’ll also have the self-awareness to ask for help when you need it.
Self-organisation
You understand priorities and monitor your progress towards set objectives. By being well-organised and planning and managing your work efficiently, you make sure you always deliver quality work on time.
Our recruitment process
We’ve designed our application process to ensure you’ll know the outcome in no more than four months after the application deadline. The below shows a typical recruitment and selection process. You’ll be given full details of the process in relation to your own recruitment as appropriate.
Qualification and beyond
Candidate Attorney Retention
Our investment in your training means we’ll do everything possible to continue your career with us after qualification. We carefully control the number of Trainees in the business to maximise retention. Resource planning ensures that you will be given the highest quality of work, which will stretch you further and allow you to quickly learn and develop.
Continuous professional development
After qualification, you can look forward to a variety of development opportunities that will enable you to become a specialist in your chosen area. With a wide range of courses available through the Pinsent Masons Academy, as well as in your practice area, you’ll have plenty of scope to develop your skills, add to your responsibilities and build a successful career.
Some frequently asked questions
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How many Candidate Attorney positions do you offer each year?
Usually, we offer around 6 Candidate Attorney positions each year, although we review this regularly to make sure it reflects our business needs.
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What is your Candidate Attorney retention rate?
As a Purpose-led business, we want to retain as many of our Candidate Attorneys (CAs) as possible. By carefully controlling the number of CAs in the business we not only retain a greater percentage, but ensure they enjoy the highest quality of work, stretching them further, while learning and developing quickly.