#Careers – Former teacher pursues his real dream

Making the wrong career choice is a decision one can regret for the rest of one’s life but for Advocate Norman Nong a turnaround was inevitable and he decided after teaching for two years to give up his job and pursue law.

Nong said it was not easy leaving a paying job and going back to the life of a student.

“I started off as a high school teacher teaching geography and history. Not all careers were reserved for a certain group of people. My sister was a teacher, my aunt was a teacher and as a result I followed suit – maybe mistakenly so. Peer pressure had a role to play in there as well,” said Nong.

He said from the first day he received his teaching diploma the idea of being a school teacher did not sit well with him.

“I was not happy. During my teaching years my class loved me so much and when I decided to quit I stayed home for a few days and my learners came to my house to beg me to come back because they enjoyed my class. The principal said I was meant to be a tertiary lecturer, not a high school teacher.”

Nong said when he decided to leave his teaching career in pursuit of a law degree, his family did not like the idea.

“Everyone was against me. I packed my bags and left Limpopo for Pretoria to study my LLB degree. I told my family I was going to study IT. In my second year of studying I told my family what I was actually doing and they were surprised,” said Nong.

“It was difficult because I was used to a pay-cheque every month but as time went by I got used to student life.

“I studied for four years, which is an LLB degree plus honours. I then did my six months practical legal training. I served my articles for another year. From there one has to write a board exam to be admitted as an attorney. You then serve two years pupillage to be admitted as an advocate. After you have passed you then make an application to be formally or officially admitted as an advocate. In the application you justify everything in your academic history. You must prove that you are fit and proper to be admitted. You take an oath before a full bench, which consists of three judges and they will decide.”

He said the whole process of becoming a fully certified advocate or attorney takes about seven years.

“Alternatively one can become a prosecutor working for the state. You can go into that immediately after the completion of your four years LLB degree. Being an advocate is a lucrative career and learners can choose it. Law has a lot of opportunities and learners can choose from a wide range of law specialties. Amongst other things you can choose to be a commissioner, a legal author, a corporate legal adviser or a legal administrator. One cannot always become a defence lawyer; you can also do commercial law. LLB is the basic degree of every career in law and after being admitted you can choose whichever route you wish to take in the legal field,” said Nong.

He said learners must perform well in their Grade 12 results to attain bursary assistance or scholarships and other funding or financial assistance.

“They must take their subjects on higher grade and get exemptions.”

He said the qualities of a lawyer are the ability to endure, persist and persevere.

“You must be objective, no emotions involved. Be tactical, be able to convince and be eager to correct past injustices. Be keen to see those injustices redressed.”

Asked if he is the best advocate he said, “I am a specialist in criminal cases.”