Draft Legal Practice Amendment Bill 2026

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Draft Legal Practice Amendment Bill 2026

• 20 August 2026
• Miscellaneous
• South African Accounting Academy

Summary:
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DoJ & CD) has published the Draft Legal Practice Amendment Bill 2026, for public comment. 

Article:

The bill amends the Legal Practice Act of 2014 to improve sector administration, adjust Fidelity Fund structures, and promote access to justice.

Key Goals of the Bill:

• Streamline administrative work in the legal sector
• Help advance transformation inside the profession
• Support better training and skill development for legal workers
• Make it easier for new people to enter the legal profession

Fidelity Fund Changes:

• Strengthen the financial safety of the Legal Practitioners' Fidelity Fund
• Allow more money transfers inside a single year if needed
• Let working attorneys sit on the board
• Clear rules to stop payouts for cryptocurrency deals
• Require people to report theft to the police before claiming

Deadline for comments is 11 September 2026.

Click here to download the 14-page Draft Bill:

https://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/invitations/20260807-gg55166gon4088-LPA-Bill-2026.pdf

Relevance to Auditors, Independent Reviewers & Accountants:

• The Legal Practice Act and Legal Practice Council Rules are more pieces of legislation that your clients must comply with, and which you must assess compliance with.  If they don’t comply with the relevant laws and regulations, you have certain reporting obligations in terms of NOCLAR (NOn-Compliance with Laws And Regulations) – this could include reporting to management, qualifying your audit opinion, reporting a Reportable Irregularity, etc.
• As an auditor and independent reviewer, you need to be aware of amendments to the LPA, as gazetted.
• As an accountant, you may need to advise your clients who are legal practitioners on compliance with the LPA and recent changes to legislation.
• As an auditor/assurance practitioner, you be aware of the latest proposed amendments to relevant legislation.

Relevance to Your clients:

• A legal practitioner has a duty to comply with the Legal Practice Act.
• Your clients who are legal practitioners, must not only comply with the LPA, but they also have to be aware of amendments to the LPA.

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