For a few dollars more: Overcharging and misconduct in the legal profession of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek

Abstract

Legal professionals of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) have been accused of being unscrupulous and underqualified, and of overcharging their clients. This article investigates some of these accusations, focussing on the regulation of the requirements for qualification as a legal professional and admission to the profession, the regulation of legal costs as well as related matters such as dual practice and the impact of the Board of Examiners on the quality of legal training. In addition, a few cases of misconduct in the legal profession of the ZAR are briefly discussed.