At the Faculty of Law at Emeris, we view legal education as a transformative journey that cultivates critical inquiry, deepens constitutional values, and inspires students to become agents of change in society. Grounded in a strong ethos of social justice, our programmes challenge students to engage with law not only as a system of rules, but as a powerful tool for advancing equality, dignity, and democratic participation.
We foster an intellectually rich and inclusive learning environment, where small class sizes enable dynamic engagement with complex legal questions and the broader societal contexts in which they arise. Through rigorous academic inquiry, interdisciplinary perspectives, and principled debate, students develop the skills and insight to confront contemporary legal challenges and contribute meaningfully to a just and transformative society.
Welcome to the Faculty of Law at Emeris. Here, legal education is not merely a path to a profession. It is a catalyst for critical thought, democratic engagement, and meaningful social change. We are committed to cultivating graduates who are not only intellectually rigorous, but also deeply responsive to the imperatives of justice, equality, and human dignity.
Guided by the principles of transformative constitutionalism, we challenge our students to think beyond doctrine, to understand law as a living instrument capable of reshaping society. This is a place where learning is grounded in values, where debate is principled and inclusive, and where the pursuit of knowledge is inseparable from the pursuit of justice.
Fiona Kaplan
Dean, Faculty of Law
Small class sizes create an interactive and inclusive environment where students and lecturers engage critically with law and its role in advancing justice and equality.
Our programmes cultivate principled legal thinkers who understand law as a tool for societal transformation, grounded in constitutional values and responsive to societal challenges.
We prioritise the development of analytical reasoning, ethical judgment, legal research, and reflective practice. These are skills essential for engaging with complex legal and social issues.
Students are immersed in a vibrant intellectual community through moot courts, clinical legal training, and thematic legal events that foster civic consciousness and a commitment to justice.
At Emeris there are programmes you can study in-person on campus (Contact) or remotely (Distance)
The Faculty of Law at Emeris, research is grounded in the transformative vision of the Constitution and driven by a commitment to social justice, inclusivity, and meaningful societal impact. Our research culture embraces engaged legal scholarship, which is an approach that sees knowledge production as a collaborative and responsive practice rooted in societal challenges and public interest outcomes.
Through our research, we foster socially responsive legal inquiry that addresses pressing legal and societal questions, advances constitutional values, and strengthens the legal system in service of all South Africans. Our community of scholars is committed to research that is both rigorous and transformative, contributing to the development of a just society.
Ongoing research themes include:
Through practical training, student-led initiatives, and recognition of excellence, we create opportunities for our students to grow as legal thinkers and leaders. From hands-on experience in our Law Clinics, to advocacy and engagement in our Moot and Juridical Societies, to celebrating top achievers through the PH Group Honour Award, we are committed to shaping graduates who are both academically strong and socially responsive.
Hand in hand towards justice.
At Emeris, our Community Law Clinics reflect our commitment to social justice, community engagement, and transformative constitutionalism. Established to serve individuals and communities who cannot afford private legal services, our Clinics offer meaningful access to justice while advancing our educational mission to shape ethically grounded, socially responsive legal thinkers.
Since the opening of our first Clinic in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022, we have expanded nationally with Clinics in Pretoria, Cape Town, our flagship Mega Clinic in Randburg, and most recently in Gqeberha. Each embedded in local contexts and driven by the pursuit of human dignity, equality, and accountability.
Our Clinics are more than training grounds, they are vibrant sites of learning, service, and research. Students engage in authentic, supervised legal practice that deepens their understanding of the law’s role in society, cultivates empathy, and reinforces their responsibility to contribute to a more just legal system. Through legal advice, education, and advocacy, our Clinics promote alternative dispute resolution, community empowerment, and the realisation of constitutional rights for all.
Emeris’s Faculty of Law, we believe that meaningful legal education must extend beyond the classroom. Through our Moot Society and Juridical Society, students are empowered to engage critically, ethically, and collaboratively with the law in ways that reflect our commitment to transformative constitutionalism and social justice.
Moot court is a cornerstone of the Faculty’s co-curricular offering, nurturing legal reasoning, critical argumentation, and principled advocacy from the very first year. Our national moot competition, invites first-year LLB students into the simulated courtroom, where they are challenged to argue both sides of a complex legal issue before panels of academic and professional judges. This experience sharpens research, writing, and oral advocacy skills, while also fostering teamwork, confidence, and deep engagement with constitutional values. The Moot Society extends student involvement beyond the national competition cycle, offering workshops, advanced coaching, and access to intervarsity moot opportunities such as the Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court.
The Juridical Society (JS) is an independent, student-led body established to promote constitutional democracy, ethical leadership, and academic excellence among law students. As the official representative forum for law students, the JS fosters a vibrant, inclusive student culture rooted in integrity, diversity, and active citizenship.
Operating through a structured Executive Committee, the JS creates opportunities for student-led initiatives in legal outreach, academic events, social justice advocacy, and community service. It acts as a platform for critical dialogue, peer support, and leadership development consciously cultivating the values of ubuntu, responsiveness, and collective responsibility.
Together, the Moot Society and Juridical Society demonstrate the Faculty’s broader mission to nurture legal scholars who are not only academically and ethically grounded, but also committed to contributing meaningfully to the transformation of society through law.
We are proud to be part of the esteemed PH Group Honour Medal programme, launched at our Faculty of Law in 2024. Awarded to the top three LLB graduates at each campus, this prestigious honour recognises academic excellence, with recipients achieving a minimum average of 75%.
Presented in partnership with PH Group of Attorneys, South Africa’s largest legal network, the medal affirms our commitment to rigorous, value-driven legal education. It places our graduates alongside top performers from leading higher education institutions.
Medals are awarded annually at campus graduation ceremonies.
An educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education
Formed by the strategic evolution of The IIE's Varsity College, IIE MSA, Vega and
the School of Hospitality and Service Management, uniting under the Emeris name.
Emeris is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd which is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (reg. no. 2007/HE07/002). Company registration number: 1987/004754/07. View certificate here.
