Law Beyond the Classroom Connects UKZN Law Students with Legal Profession

For University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Law students, the journey towards a legal career continues to increase, extending beyond the lecture room, as meaningful engagement with professionals helps them understand the breadth of opportunities their Bachelor of Laws (LLB) qualification offers.

This was the motivation for the Law Beyond the Classroom, an event held on the Pietermaritzburg campus, co-ordinated by College SRC Representative for the College of Law and Management Studies, LLB student Mr Kharendwe Nedawaila, and supported by Professor Darren Subramanien, the Head of the Discipline of Business Law.

The initiative created a platform for students to interact directly with members of the legal profession and professionals working across different sectors. Guest speakers included Ms Louise Sewlall Van Rensburg, a former Human Resources official at Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA); Advocate Sanjeeth Sewlall, Chief Provincial Inspector at the KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate; Advocate Nduduzo Cabe, a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); and Magistrate Bhengu Ntompela.

Subramanien emphasised the importance of exposure in shaping career aspirations, advising students: “You cannot aspire to something you do not know exists.” He encouraged students to actively build professional networks by showing up, asking questions and maintaining relationships beyond a single engagement. He also challenged them to think beyond simply obtaining an LLB and to consider this broader question: “What contribution can I make using my degree?”

This message was reinforced by Cabe, who urged students to rethink their understanding of an LLB. Rather than viewing the qualification as a direct pathway to a particular job, he described it as “a platform” that develops the ability to analyse problems, assess risk, understand power dynamics and engage with human behaviour.

Students were further exposed to career possibilities in human resources, corporate and commercial environments, government, regulatory institutions, academia, research, the judiciary and other sectors.

Ntompela provided insight into the criminal justice system while sharing details of her own professional journey, which began as a prosecutor in 2002. Her experience demonstrated that professional journeys are not always linear and that perseverance, patience and continuous development are essential.

The engagement exemplified the value of collaboration between students, academics and members of the profession in enriching the university experience. It also supports UKZN’s strategic commitment to creating excellent student experiences during academic studies by providing students with opportunities to connect classroom learning with the realities of professional life.

For Nedawaila, the programme ultimately encouraged students to move beyond an exclusive focus on the traditional career paths associated with an LLB degree and to explore a broader range of non-traditional legal career opportunities.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photographs: Tisetso Nhlapo