The path to becoming an admitted legal practitioner is long, demanding, and, for many, financially challenging. Between tuition fees, textbooks, practical vocational training, board examinations, and the everyday cost of living, many aspiring legal professionals look for ways to earn an additional income while working towards admission.
However, earning extra income in the legal profession is not always straightforward. While there are many opportunities available, law students and candidate attorneys must balance their academic and professional commitments with the ethical and regulatory obligations that come with entering the profession. In some cases, employment contracts and the Legal Practice Council (LPC) Rules may also limit the type of work that can be undertaken.
The key is to choose opportunities that complement your long-term career goals rather than distract from them. Whether you are tutoring first-year students, assisting with legal research, or creating educational content, the right opportunity can help you build valuable professional experience while generating an income.
In this blog, we explore practical ways for LLB students, postgraduate law students, and candidate attorneys to earn additional income ethically and professionally. We also explain what the LPC Rules say about earning an income while serving articles and share practical tips to help you build both your career and your financial sustainability.
Opportunities for undergraduate LLB students
One of the greatest advantages of studying law is that it develops a wide range of transferable skills. From your first year, you learn how to analyse complex information, conduct research, communicate clearly, solve problems, and pay close attention to detail. These are valuable skills that are sought after in many industries, not just the legal profession.
As an undergraduate LLB student, you also have greater flexibility than candidate attorneys. Because you are not yet serving articles or subject to the professional obligations that accompany practical vocational training, you can explore a broader range of income-generating opportunities while building experience that will strengthen your CV.
Academic tutoring
If you have performed well in a particular module, tutoring can be one of the most rewarding ways to earn an additional income. Universities often appoint peer tutors, while private tutoring companies and independent tutoring platforms also offer opportunities.
Tutoring requires patience, communication, and the ability to explain complex legal concepts in simple terms. It also reinforces your own understanding of the law, making it excellent preparation for future examinations, including the competency-based examinations (board exams).
Research and academic support
Law students quickly become familiar with legal research, reading lengthy judgments, and identifying the key principles within large volumes of information. These skills can be applied beyond the classroom.
Academic departments, researchers, and even organisations outside the legal profession often require assistance with literature reviews, proofreading, summarising documents, or conducting background research. For example, a law lecturer may require assistance in identifying recent Constitutional Court decisions, preparing case summaries, or updating teaching materials. Research institutes may also appoint students to assist with literature reviews or policy research on specific legal topics. These opportunities help develop analytical thinking and strengthen legal writing skills that will remain valuable throughout your career.
Administrative and virtual support
Many law firms and sole practitioners require assistance with administrative tasks such as document formatting, file management, transcription, diary coordination, and client communication.
These roles provide valuable insight into the day-to-day operation of a legal practice while helping students develop organisational skills, professionalism, and an understanding of legal workflows, and may include:
- document formatting
- discovery bundles
- indexing
- transcription
- legal dictation
- diary management
- e-filing
The flexibility of many of these virtual administrative roles also makes them easier to balance alongside university studies.
Specialised opportunities for postgraduate law students
Completing an LLM or PhD equips you with far more than advanced legal knowledge. It develops specialist research skills, critical thinking, academic writing, and the ability to analyse complex legal issues in depth. These capabilities open the door to a wider range of professional opportunities that may not be readily available to undergraduate students.
For many postgraduate students, earning an additional income is not simply about financial support. It is also an opportunity to establish a professional reputation, build specialist expertise, and expand a network within the legal and academic communities.
University teaching and assessment
Many South African universities employ postgraduate students as tutors, seminar facilitators, guest lecturers, invigilators, and assignment markers. These roles provide valuable teaching experience while offering a structured source of income.
Teaching also strengthens your own understanding of the law. Explaining complex legal principles to students develops communication skills, reinforces subject knowledge, and builds confidence, qualities that are valuable whether you pursue academia, legal practice, or corporate advisory work.
Research assistance
Postgraduate students are well-positioned to assist academics, research institutions, law reform bodies, and legal organisations with specialised research projects. This may include conducting literature reviews, analysing legislation and case law, preparing research memoranda, or assisting with policy development.
These opportunities allow you to work on meaningful legal projects while refining the advanced research skills developed during postgraduate study.
Legal writing and content development
Postgraduate students are also well-suited to produce legal content for publishers, educational institutions, professional training providers, and legal organisations. This may include writing articles, developing educational resources, reviewing legal publications, or contributing to continuing professional development (CPD) materials.
These opportunities allow postgraduate students to apply their specialist knowledge in a practical setting while developing a portfolio of published work and strengthening their professional profile.
The in-between: Brand partnerships and content creation
Social media has created new opportunities for law students and graduates to earn an additional income through brand partnerships, sponsored content, and promotional campaigns. These collaborations may involve creating educational content, reviewing products or services, or serving as a brand ambassador for companies whose values align with your own.
For law students and graduates who have built an online presence, these opportunities can provide a flexible source of income while helping them develop valuable skills in communication, public speaking, marketing, and personal branding. They can also open doors to networking opportunities beyond the traditional legal profession.
However, aspiring legal practitioners should carefully consider the brands and campaigns they choose to associate with. Before accepting a partnership, ask yourself whether it aligns with the professional reputation you are building and whether you would be comfortable explaining the collaboration to a future employer, principal, or client. Promoting products or services that are misleading, unlawful, or inconsistent with the ethical standards expected of legal professionals may have long-term reputational consequences.
If your content includes legal information or discusses legal topics, it is equally important to make it clear that the content is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every legal matter depends on its own facts and circumstances, and viewers should be encouraged to seek advice from a qualified legal practitioner before acting on any legal information shared online.
Candidate attorneys should exercise additional caution. While creating educational content or participating in brand campaigns may be permissible, these activities must still comply with their employment contract, the Legal Practice Council Rules, and any approval requirements that apply during their practical vocational training. Above all, social media activities should never compromise client confidentiality, create conflicts of interest, or undermine the dignity and integrity of the legal profession.
Can candidate attorneys earn an additional income? Understanding the LPC Rules
Many aspiring legal practitioners assume that once they begin serving articles, earning an additional income is no longer possible. That is not entirely correct. While candidate attorneys are not subject to an absolute prohibition on outside work, they are subject to far stricter regulation than undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Serving under a practical vocational training (PVT) contract (articles of clerkship) is intended to provide full-time practical training under the supervision of a principal. As a result, the Legal Practice Council (LPC) Rules place clear limits on secondary employment and business activities to ensure that a candidate attorney’s training remains their primary focus.
What do the LPC Rules say?
Rule 22.1.5 of the LPC Rules, issued under the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, distinguishes between two different situations.
- A candidate attorney may not have a financial or ownership interest in the attorney’s firm where they are completing their articles, other than receiving their bona fide remuneration as a candidate attorney. This prohibition is absolute.
- A candidate attorney may not hold another remunerated office or engage in any other business without first obtaining the prior written consent of the Legal Practice Council, where that office or business is likely to interfere with their proper training. In practice, this means that outside work is not automatically prohibited; however, it must be considered carefully, and appropriate approval must be obtained before commencing the activity.
How have the courts interpreted this rule?
The position was clarified by the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Rensburg v Legal Practice Council [2020] JOL 56977 (GP). The Court confirmed that Rule 22.1.5 creates two distinct categories. While a financial interest in the principal’s law firm is strictly prohibited, engaging in outside employment or business activities may be permissible, provided the candidate attorney first obtains the necessary written approval from the LPC and the activity does not interfere with the purpose of their practical vocational training.
The decision highlights an important point: the question is not simply whether the work generates additional income, but whether it is compatible with the candidate attorney’s professional training and complies with the LPC Rules.
Why compliance matters
Obtaining the necessary approval is not merely a formality. Rule 22.1.5(2) provides that if a candidate attorney engages in outside employment or business without the required approval, the PVT contract may be declared void ab initio, meaning it is regarded as invalid from the outset.
The consequences can be significant. If the contract is declared invalid, the period served under the articles may not count towards admission, potentially delaying qualification as an attorney.
Do you also need your employer’s permission?
Yes. Compliance with the LPC Rules is only one part of the process.
Most law firms include conflict-of-interest or ‘moonlighting’ clauses in their employment contracts that regulate outside work. Even if an activity appears unlikely to interfere with your articles, you should carefully review your employment contract and discuss the opportunity with your principal before accepting it. In many instances, written approval from your employer will be required in addition to any approval required by the LPC.
Practical guidance for candidate attorneys earning an additional income
If you are considering earning an additional income while serving articles, careful planning and transparency are essential. The following principles can help ensure that any secondary work remains consistent with your professional obligations and does not jeopardise your admission as an attorney.
Be transparent with your principal
Before accepting any additional work, discuss the opportunity openly with your principal. Explain the nature of the work, the expected time commitment, and how you intend to balance it with your responsibilities under your PVT contract.
Being transparent from the outset helps build trust and reduces the risk of misunderstandings or allegations that your outside work is interfering with your professional duties.
Obtain the necessary approvals
Where required, obtain the appropriate written approval before commencing any secondary employment or business activity. Depending on the nature of the work, this may include approval from both your principal and the LPC. Starting a side business or accepting paid work without first obtaining the necessary consent could have serious consequences for your articles and your future admission.
Avoid conflicts of interest
Your primary duty remains to your principal, your clients, and the profession. Secondary work should never create a conflict of interest or compromise your professional independence.
For example, candidate attorneys should not:
- Provide legal services independently;
- Accept private legal clients; or
- Undertake work that competes with the practice in which they are serving articles.
Maintaining clear professional boundaries protects both your reputation and the profession’s integrity.
Ensure your training remains your priority
Articles are designed to provide practical legal training. Any secondary work should therefore be undertaken outside normal working hours and should never affect your attendance, productivity, or ability to meet your responsibilities at your firm. If your additional work begins to interfere with your training, it is no longer serving its intended purpose and may place your PVT contract at risk.
Conclusion
Building a legal career is a long-term investment, and financial sustainability is an important part of that journey. While earning an additional income can provide much-needed financial support, the most valuable opportunities are often those that also strengthen your professional skills, expand your network, and contribute to your long-term career development.
Whether you are still completing your LLB, pursuing postgraduate studies, or serving articles, every opportunity should be approached with professionalism, integrity, and a clear understanding of your legal and ethical obligations. By making informed decisions and remaining committed to the standards of the profession, you can create additional opportunities for yourself without compromising your future admission as a legal practitioner.
About the author
Theshaya Naidoo is a PhD (Law) Candidate and Canon Collins Scholar. Her research focuses on 'The Legal & Ethical Implications of Neurotechnology on the South African Criminal Justice System'. She holds an LLM in Medical Law, where her thesis focused on 'The necessity of sui generis AI regulation in South Africa'. Theshaya attended Gawie le Roux Institute of Law’s Attorneys’ admission exam courses and law school.
Last updated on 4 August 2026.