The good and the bad of the draft Legal Practice Bill

CAPE TOWN - A written agreement on fees between lawyers and their clients could soon be on the cards.

The Cost Disclosure is one of the clauses in the Legal Practice Bill, currently up for discussion in Parliament.

Aimed at protecting both the legal practitioner and client, the written cost agreement will see the parties agree on a fee even before the start of any legal proceedings.

While this may smooth out client-lawyer relations, opposition parties are up in arms over another clause up for discussion  --  one that gives the Justice Minister the power to disband the Legal Practice Council at his discretion.

“We believe is not justifiable and encroaches on the independence of the legal profession which is a pillar of the independence of the judiciary," Steve Swart an ACDP MP said.

The committee will meet over the next two weeks to discuss further amendments to the draft Bill.

Watch eNCA reporter, Percival Young&39;s video package above, for more insight into the draft bill.