Lawyers advise their kids against becoming lawyers

21 January 2013 - 10:29 By Sapa
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A survey has revealed most attorneys will not encourage their children to pursue the profession, according to a report on Monday.

The Cape Times reported that only 34 percent of 500 practitioners interviewed in the third quarter of last year would encourage their children to enter the profession.

This figure was a down from the 40 percent recorded by financial services group PPS in the second quarter of last year.

"Compared with other professions, this is one of the lowest [figures] so far," said PPS marketing head Gerhard Joubert.

He told the newspaper that during forums last year, many lawyers had expressed serious concerns about the restructuring of their profession, through the Legal Practice Bill.

The bill determines the rates lawyers can charge their clients and gives the justice minister greater clout in governing the profession.

Law Society of SA co-chairman Jan Stemmett said the decline could be attributed to a number of factors, particularly around ethics.

Of the attorneys interviewed, 57 percent felt that high ethical standards had not been maintained and that the profession was not a noble one.

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