As the legal profession in South Africa continues to evolve, the recruitment of candidate attorneys remains a key indicator of firm growth and support for new legal talent. While firms rarely publish official intake figures, social media announcements and public posts by firms and candidates themselves offer useful insight into the scale of recruitment across major law firms in 2026.
ENS Africa leads the field with an estimated 60 candidate attorneys intake for 2026, reflecting the firm’s size, regional footprint and a response to sustained demand for legal services across multiple jurisdictions.
Following closely is Webber Wentzel with an intake of 50 candidate attorneys. The firm continues to be a leading destination for graduates seeking experience in high level corporate, commercial and dispute resolution work within an internationally connected practice.
Bowmans is estimated to have appointed 40 candidate attorneys for the year 2026. The firm has maintained a significant intake and remains attractive to aspiring lawyers seeking broad exposure to diverse legal work and clients.
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr has recruited around 27 candidate attorneys, while Werksmans follows closely with an intake of approximately 25. Both firms continue to balance sizeable intakes with focused training structures.
Adams and Adams is estimated to have appointed 19 candidate attorneys, consistent with its niche strength in intellectual property and specialist legal services.
Smaller cohorts are evident at many international and internationally aligned firms operating in South Africa. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is estimated to have 4 candidate attorneys, while CMS is estimated at 4 and White and Case at 8. Baker McKenzie and Clyde and Co both appear to have appointed around 6 candidate attorneys.
Other firms with estimated smaller intakes include Fasken with 8 candidate attorneys, Eversheds Sutherland with 7 and DLA Piper with 6.
Pinsent Masons is estimated to have appointed 13 candidate attorneys for 2026, placing its intake below many larger domestic firms but consistent with its specialized practice areas.
These numbers for 2026 reflect trends in recruitment and training across major law firms in South Africa. They illustrate that while larger firms continue to recruit substantial numbers of candidate attorneys, many international firms maintain smaller but focused trainee cohorts.
