How Good is Law Studies at UNISA
How Good is Unisa Llb
I am a prosecutor and have studied through Unisa all my teritary ed life! I know (personally) many attorneys and advocates who obtained their LLB degrees through Unisa. They have been employed by many top legal firms not because of the university they attended but because they passed with excellent marks!
I have been responsible for training law graduates in the prosecution of crime in the NPA and can safely and confidently say that a Unisa graduate is usually a knowledgeable, hard working independent thinking individual who knows how to attend to matters without being spoon-fed and supervised 24/7.
Unisa is recognised worldwide as a top university. I am not sure if that is so with the “normal” universities.
I wonder what Unisa would have to say about being “classed” in this way!
Shaida Mahomed was recently admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa. Mahomed obtained her LLB degree from Unisa with 18 distinctions. She served her articles of clerkship at the Unisa Law Clinic.
Before serving her articles, she attended the 2011 Law Society Day School for Legal Practice, where she obtained best performance certificates for Labour Dispute Resolution, Legal Costs, and Forms of Business Enterprise, as well as certificates for outstanding performance in High Court Practice and Commercial Litigation. She was awarded the Best Overall Performer and member of the Best Firm. Mahomed was awarded the best performing student in the Commercial Module.
Mahomed is involved in three student and community outreach programmes at the Law Clinic:
- Practical Legal Training Programme, assisting with preparation of lectures, presentation of lectures to students, marking of student assignments, and preparation of certificate and year-end functions
- Moot Court Committee, providing assistance with organising trips to the constitutional court, organising internal moot court competition, and organising and preparing certificate and year-end functions
- Street Law/community outreach programme, assisting with presentation of workshops to the students in the various regions, preparing presentations, preparing notes for students, and preparations for certificate functions
Mahomed has successfully completed the Unisa assessor’s training course.
According to Hadley Saayman, Head of the Unisa Law Clinic, in addition to completing the necessary academic, vocational and ‘on-the-job’ training, one needs a range of skills in order to become a successful attorney. Citing The University of Law 2013, he said these included:
- An analytical, enquiring mind–with the ability to draw out key issues from a mass of information
- Clear verbal, listening and written communication skills to gather information and articulate it to others
- The aptitude to solve problems in a practical way that helps your client
- Patience, close attention to detail and strong organisational skills
- The ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines