LJU4802
Assignment 1
Unique No:
Due 10 September 2025
, Professional Ethics
Question 1
In Legal Practice Council v Steffen (2024, para. 1), the Legal Practice Council (LPC)
brought an application to have the respondent struck from the roll of legal practitioners.
Question 2
The regulation of attorneys in South Africa is governed by the Legal Practice Act 28 of
2014, which provides the framework for the admission, professional conduct, and
discipline of legal practitioners (Republic of South Africa, 2014).
Question 3
Attorneys are legally required to hold a Fidelity Fund certificate and maintain a trust
account. These requirements function as safeguards to protect clients’ funds and to
uphold public confidence in the profession.
Section 85 of the Legal Practice Act makes it compulsory for any practising
attorney who handles client funds to hold a valid Fidelity Fund certificate
(Republic of South Africa, 2014, s. 85).
Section 86 obliges attorneys to operate a trust account to ensure that client
funds are kept separate from their personal or business finances (Republic of
South Africa, 2014, s. 86).
Where theft or dishonesty occurs, affected clients may seek compensation from
the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund—but such protection is only available if
the attorney has complied with the certificate requirement (University of South
Africa, 2025, p. 5).
Question 4
When determining whether a legal practitioner is “fit and proper” to continue practising,
courts apply a three-stage enquiry:
Assignment 1
Unique No:
Due 10 September 2025
, Professional Ethics
Question 1
In Legal Practice Council v Steffen (2024, para. 1), the Legal Practice Council (LPC)
brought an application to have the respondent struck from the roll of legal practitioners.
Question 2
The regulation of attorneys in South Africa is governed by the Legal Practice Act 28 of
2014, which provides the framework for the admission, professional conduct, and
discipline of legal practitioners (Republic of South Africa, 2014).
Question 3
Attorneys are legally required to hold a Fidelity Fund certificate and maintain a trust
account. These requirements function as safeguards to protect clients’ funds and to
uphold public confidence in the profession.
Section 85 of the Legal Practice Act makes it compulsory for any practising
attorney who handles client funds to hold a valid Fidelity Fund certificate
(Republic of South Africa, 2014, s. 85).
Section 86 obliges attorneys to operate a trust account to ensure that client
funds are kept separate from their personal or business finances (Republic of
South Africa, 2014, s. 86).
Where theft or dishonesty occurs, affected clients may seek compensation from
the Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund—but such protection is only available if
the attorney has complied with the certificate requirement (University of South
Africa, 2025, p. 5).
Question 4
When determining whether a legal practitioner is “fit and proper” to continue practising,
courts apply a three-stage enquiry:
