About the Legal Practitioners' Fidelity Fund
The Legal Practitioners' Fidelity Fund (LPFF) was formerly known as the Attorneys Fidelity Fund. It is a statutory fund created under the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, and earlier legislation set up its predecessor. The Fund protects the public. If a legal practitioner steals or misuses money or property held in trust, the Fund can reimburse the member of the public who lost out.
The Fund works from offices in Centurion in Gauteng and in Cape Town in the Western Cape. Its main job is to keep trust in the legal profession strong, because clients must be able to hand money to their lawyers with confidence.
How the Fund supports law students
Besides its guarantee role, the LPFF offers a bursary for law studies. The Fund has a clear interest in the people who will enter the profession it protects. A well-trained and more representative group of practitioners benefits the whole justice system, and the bursary is one practical way to help.
The bursary is not for first-time university entrants. Instead, it helps students who are already partway through a law qualification. Published criteria say applicants need a BA (Law), BCom (Law), BJuris or BProc degree, or a similar qualification. Alternatively, they can show that they have finished the first two years of the four-year LLB. A student in the first semester of second year may be considered for funding for third and fourth year. A student in the first semester of third year may be considered for the final year only.
The money goes towards tuition fees, and the Fund says it applies only to tuition. A bursary can run for a maximum of two years. Applicants must be South African citizens or permanent residents, hold a matric certificate, and study at a recognised South African university with no more than two years left to complete the LLB.
What to know before applying
The Fund gives preference to applicants in serious financial need. However, it also considers outstanding academic results. For that reason, strong marks and honest evidence of your family's financial position both help your case.
A bursary committee reviews applications, and the Fund's board approves them. Details such as the amount, the number of awards and the closing date can differ from one year to the next. The figures for the current round are unconfirmed here, so check the official LPFF website for the latest requirements.
Prepare your documents early. You will usually need proof of identity, academic records, proof of registration and information about your finances. Because the Fund pays tuition fees directly, make sure your university account is up to date as well. Finally, apply only through the Fund's official channels, and be careful of anyone who asks for payment in return for help with an application.
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