.png?width=2350&height=777&name=Transcend%20Logo%20White%20Web%20(RGB).png "Transcend Logo White Web (RGB)")
.png?width=2350&height=777&name=Transcend%20Logo%20Web%20(RGB).png "Transcend Logo Web (RGB)"){kind=icon}
Legal Sector Codes of Good Practice YES Initiative Update
By Shelley Hunt | 28 August 2026
The Legal Sector Charter Council (LSCC) has issued Clarification Notice No. 02/2026, dated 01 August 2026, providing further guidance on the application of the Youth Employment Service (YES) Initiative to entities measured under the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice.
The new notice follows Clarification Notice No. 01/2026, issued earlier this year. Following queries received from stakeholders, the LSCC identified that certain wording in the initial notice could be open to misinterpretation.
Importantly, Clarification Notice No. 02/2026 replaces Clarification Notice No. 01/2026.
While many of the principles communicated in the first notice remain unchanged, the latest clarification provides greater certainty regarding the application of YES within the Legal Sector.
What has been further clarified?
| Area | What we previously communicated | Clarification Notice 02/2026 | Status of the clarification |
|---|---|---|---|
| YES and the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice | The YES initiative remains applicable to Legal Sector Measured Entities and should support the sector's transformation objectives. | The LSCC confirms that the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice aligns with the job-creation objectives of YES and encourages participating entities to implement initiatives aligned with the sector-specific priorities contained in the Code. | Clarified |
| Skills Development | YES initiative implementation is separate from the Skills Development element and there may be no double counting. | This remains unchanged. YES initiatives must remain separate and distinct from the Skills Development Element under LSC 300, and the same YES training may not also be claimed for Skills Development points. | Unchanged |
| Youth employment reference in the Code | The first notice highlighted the relevance of YES to Young Black People entering the legal profession. | The LSCC has now expressly clarified that the reference to “Youth Services Plan” in paragraph 29.8 of the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice should be read as “Youth Employment Service.” | Further clarified |
| General YES requirements | Legal Sector entities remain subject to the general YES measurement principles and targets. | This position remains unchanged. The clarification does not replace, or override Code Series 000, Statement 000 or other applicable YES clarifications issued by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. | Unchanged |
| Recommended sector-based initiatives | The LSCC encouraged workplace experience for unemployed law graduates, employment opportunities for unemployed young attorneys who have completed articles, and absorption pathways. | These recommendations remain in Notice 02/2026 and continue to guide Legal Sector entities when structuring sector-relevant YES opportunities. | Remains applicable |
| Application of the clarification | The previous communication did not specifically address retrospectivity. | Notice 02/2026 expressly confirms that it does not apply retrospectively and applies to YES initiatives commencing within measurement periods beginning after 15 May 2026, being the date on which Notice 01/2026 was issued. | Further clarified |
What does this mean for Legal Sector Measured Entities?
Legal Sector Measured Entities participating in YES initiative should ensure that their implementation continues to comply with the general YES requirements while also taking the transformation priorities of the Legal Sector into account.
In particular, entities should consider whether their YES initiative opportunities meaningfully address some of the challenges identified within the profession, including:
- Barriers faced by Young Black Law Graduates in obtaining articles or pupillage;
- Unemployment following the completion of articles;
- Limited opportunities for Young Black Legal Practitioners to gain workplace experience; and
- Skills gaps, particularly within specialised areas of Law.
The LSCC continues to encourage Legal Sector Measured Entities participating in YES to consider:
- 12-month workplace experience opportunities for unemployed Black Law Graduates;
- 12-month employment opportunities for Young Black Attorneys who have completed their articles but remain unemployed; and
- Absorption opportunities for Young Black Attorneys following the 12-month employment period.
These initiatives remain separate from the Skills Development element and should be implemented within the broader requirements applicable to the YES Initiative.
Why the latest Clarification Matters
Clarification Notice 02/2026 provides greater certainty for Legal Sector Measured Entities planning or implementing YES programmes.
Of particular importance is the confirmation of the effective application of the notice, together with the continued emphasis on structuring YES opportunities that respond to the employment and professional-development challenges facing Black Young people within the Legal Profession.
Entities with current or planned YES programmes should therefore review their implementation approach to ensure alignment with both the YES Initiative requirements and the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice.
What Next?
If your organisation is measured under the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice, now may be an appropriate time to review your current or upcoming YES implementation to determine whether it is aligned with the latest LSCC clarification.
Transcend Corporate Advisors can assist with:
- Reviewing your YES strategy and programme structure;
- Assessing alignment with the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice;
- Structuring appropriate internal and external workplace opportunities;
- Supporting recruitment, onboarding and programme implementation; and
- Monitoring your YES programme to support compliance and verification readiness.
Ensure your organisation’s YES implementation is aligned with the latest guidance issued under the Legal Sector Code of Good Practice.
Contact us today to discuss how the latest clarification may affect your YES strategy or to review your current implementation approach.
Shelley Hunt