The Cape Town Advice Office is a project of the South African Law School. It operates from within the School's campus and is run by the school's paralegal students under the guidance of the school's academic team which is made up of qualified lawyers.

The Cape Town Advice Office provides a valuable community service, offering totally free advice on legal and socio-legal problems and issues faced by those members of the Cape Town community who are unable to afford the cost of Legal Advice from attorneys. The Advice Office provides a service which includes advice, referrals (to attorneys or other relevant service providers), letter writing, telephone calls, advocacy, negotiation, form completion. Typical problems or cases handled by the office include labour/employment disputes, domestic violence issues and applications, family issues such as maintenance and divorces, housing and unlawful evictions and debt issues. Whilst the Office is not able to assist with every issue, no person approaching the Office will be turned away unassisted or without a relevant referral.

In addition to providing a much needed service the Cape Town Advice Office also serves as the focus of the South African Law School's applied skills training. All full-time Paralegal students are required to provide 85 hours of service in the Office as part of their training and in order to graduate. It is here that the training provided by the South African Law School differs from many of the other Paralegal schools - students of the South African Law School will learn to apply the theoretical and academic knowledge they acquire in the classroom through their work in the Advice Office. In addition to the legal practical training the student receives, they also acquire skills such as consulting, file management, letter writing, researching, providing oral and written advice, telephone communication skills, to name but a few.

The Cape Town Advice Office operates during the School's business hours 08h30 to 16h30 by appointment only.

" Rayghana, a student at the school, assisted me at the Law School by referring me to a Pro Bono Attorney.

I am highly satisfied with the professional manner and expertise she handled my case.

She striked me as a Lady who are very passionate about her profession and totally committed to her career.

I find Rayghana to be a very loving and sincere humanbeing, with an outgoing personality, and it was a great pleasure to have her handling my case.

I wish her all the success for her future endeavours.

Ms Lydia Lategan "

" Just a short note of heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you and your staff for the assistance lent in the matter wrt possible eviction of long-term tenants in the Woodstock area.

The advice lent by Mr Bruce proved invaluable. Without his attentiveness and direction, I fear we would have been in a terrible position. The concept of an advice centre is a brilliant one. It now affords our community an opportunity of legal empowerment in simple but life-changing issues.

Once again, many thanks."

unsolicited fax received from VM Hood,
 Secretary of the Cape Town Lower Woodstock Civic Association

More feedback about the South African Law School's Advice Office that we received:

Dear Wilma,

I would like to take this opportunity in forwarding this letter to show my appreciation and to thank you for your professionalism in assisting me with my court case regarding Golden Arrow Bus Services.

I would like to thank you and your students especially Abdullah Hoossen for his guidance, support as well as for the confidence he gave me. I do not know how to commend your organization but I have to say: you are all just great.

A job well done being a NGO and assisting the broader deprived community with legal advice at no cost, you all need to be commended. Keep it up. Once again, thank you.

Then I have to share some good news, I appeared in court on Tuesday 28th September and I was successful with this case as the Commissioner of the court passed judgment in my favour.

Yours truly,

Achmat Jardien

Rayghana a student at the school assisted me at the Law School by referring me to a Pro Bono Attorney. I am highly satisfied with the professional manner and expertise she handled my case. She striked me as a Lady who are very passionate about her profession and totally committed to her career. I find Rayghana to be a very loving and sincere humanbeing, with an outgoing personality, and it was a great pleasure to have her handling my case. I wish her all the success for her future endeavours. Ms Lydia Lategan