There is a special legal practice area that is known as maritime law, which is simply about stuff that concerns nautical matters such as shipping as well as other businesses carried out on open waters. Maritime lawyers have a specialization in this area and are the go-to experts. They are good when dealing with offenses against international laws
The average maritime lawyer salary in South Africa is R 249 260 per annum. While this is not as lucrative as some other areas of specialization, there are still folks interested in this sector and are experts with all that concerns maritime law.
Maritime Lawyer Salary In South Africa Average
The average maritime lawyer salary in South Africa is around R 249 260 per year. This shows that the average maritime lawyer earns more than the average national benchmark in the country.
It should however be noted that this quoted amount is simply an average, and it can be above this or vice versa. In other words, there are maritime lawyers in South Africa that are earning a salary that is above R 249 260 per annum, and there are those who are probably not earning up to that just yet.
In reality, certain general factors can determine how much you are earning as a maritime lawyer, and this applies to every other place in the world. Prominent factors that determine these things include where you are working as well as what your level of expertise is.
Therefore, a fresh maritime lawyer will most likely not earn as much as an experienced one. However, because the field is a professional one that is offering valuable services that can only be granted by a professional expert, even a fresh maritime lawyer can earn well above the national benchmark.
As the lawyer is advancing in their career, they will get to grow in experience and expertise and can begin earning very well. Some well-experienced lawyers in South Africa are earning up R 7 200 000 per annum. But before you get to this point, you must have been consistent with your field.
How Much Does Maritime Lawyers Earn In South Africa Monthly
The average maritime lawyers in South Africa earn a monthly salary of R 20 771. This is above the national average in the country, and it does not apply to everyone at all times.
In other words, several maritime lawyers in South Africa are earning over R 20 000 per month, particularly based on their expertise and whom they are working for. There are lawyers in South Africa that are earning as much as R 500 000 per month, which is a good one that befits them.
Therefore, to earn more money as a maritime lawyer here, you should keep growing in what you do and should keep getting better and better. You can always work with organizations and clients that will offer you much better money for your services.
Who Is A Maritime Lawyer?
Maritime law has to do with a body of treaties and laws (both domestic and international) that regulates operations on the sea. Also known as admiralty law, this is a specialized area studied by maritime lawyers.
Maritime law can deal with several insurance issues revolving around cargo on ships. Maritime lawyers also know how to deal with civil issues between owners of vessels and passengers as well as piracy issues.
These professionals conduct deep research on laws, handling personal injury claims, reviewing contracts, and so on. They handle disputes resulting from boat collisions as well as seaman worker compensation claims. A maritime lawyer can also handle cases like hazardous working conditions on a dock, and similar issues. It is not a very popular career path but can be challenging.
How To Become A Lawyer In South Africa
1. Starting from the University
You must start your journey from the University, where you get a law degree. However, to get a ticket into the university, you have to pass matric with the right subjects. It is necessary to add that you have the liberty of doing this in any high school around the world that qualifies for a national senior certificate or something similar.
In the universities, you sign up for LLB as far as you can meet the admission requirements of the institution. It is necessary to know the major requirements your institution of choice will demand so they can admit you with ease.
It is important to know that it usually takes 4 years to complete your LLB at the University. You must be ready to work very hard all through your studies, as you won’t be able to get to the next stage without passing through this one successfully.
2. Doing vacation work at a registered law firm and your law articles
While some universities have in place structures and systems to help you touch a lot of practical things about the law in its tangible form, the fact remains that many of the things you will be taught are going to be in theories.
Therefore, it is important to go for vocation work at a law firm around you where you can see how things are done practically, and you will be exposed to a whole lot of helpful experiences.
Additionally, you should engage your law articles (this will take 2 years of working as a candidate attorney) on your journey to become a lawyer in South Africa. It can be carried out at a registered law firm in the country.
In South Africa, before someone can do their Articles of Clerkship and begin working as a candidate attorney, they have to be done with university and should have successfully bagged their LLB degree.
3. Preparing for the Board exams
After doing all of the things listed up there, you can then begin to look toward your board exams. Without passing the exam, you won’t be able to go to the next phase. We can even advise you to start preparing for this when you are still a candidate attorney.
Every aspiring lawyer is expected to complete the four papers reasonably well. This should not give you a tough time though, particularly if you are well prepared. Nevertheless, always remember that passing these examinations is of utmost importance, and you can’t do this. One of the ways you can help yourself is to go through past exam papers, which you can get online for free.
In addition to all of these, you should know that the exams are registered for at the Legal Practice Council.
4. Attorney admission
Eventually, you are here. You can now get set for preparations to become a full-fledged attorney in the country. This is the final thing to do, and all must pass through the stage.
As far as you have your LLB degree and have completed your articles with a registered law firm, you then write your board exams and pass successfully. This makes you eligible to apply to the court to be admitted as an attorney.
It should however be noted that in South Africa, the attorney must not just be a citizen of the country (or one with permanent residency), but they must also be at least 21 years of age. When you become a lawyer, you can then decide on what type you want to focus on.
In Conclusion
The average maritime lawyer salary in South Africa is R 249 260 per annum. This means some of these experts are earning above R 20 000 per month as salary, and it gets better as they grow in experience and expertise. The field is not a popular one, but it has great opportunities.