Junior Tax Attorney (Tax Disputes & Tax Debt)

Carlysle Human Capital; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading legal firm is seeking a Junior Tax Attorney in Johannesburg to join their tax legal team. The role focuses on disputes and litigation support, tax debt management, and legal research. Candidates should have an LLM in Tax and be either an admitted attorney or in the final stages of articles with litigation experience. This position offers a clear growth path based on performance and requires strong drafting skills, legal research ability, and attention to detail. Join a supportive team committed to continuous learning.

Qualifications

• Admitted Attorney (up to 2 years post‑admission) or Candidate Attorney nearing completion.
• Exposure to Magistrates or High Court litigation.

Responsibilities

• Assist with disputes across Income Tax, VAT, PAYE.
• Support clients with SARS correspondence and follow-ups.
• Conduct legal research and draft internal research notes.

Skills

Legal research

Strong drafting skills

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office proficiency

Education

LLM in Tax

Practical Legal Training (PLT)

Job description

About Latita Africa

Latita Africa is a specialist tax, legal and advisory firm supporting entrepreneurs, growing businesses and high-net-worth individuals across South Africa and the continent. We focus on:

• SARS disputes and tax debt management
• Tax administration and compliance
• Corporate and commercial advisory
• Accounting and financial reporting

Based in Rosebank, we operate in a fast-paced, technical environment. We value people who take ownership, think clearly, and remain composed under pressure. We are also committed to building a diverse and inclusive tax legal team.

Role Overview

You’ll join our tax legal team as a Junior Tax Attorney, working closely with senior specialists. You’ll gain practical exposure to tax disputes, litigation and SARS engagements while developing strong technical skills. This role offers a clear growth path into a mid-level tax disputes position based on performance.

What You’ll Be Doing

1. Disputes & Litigation Support

• Assist with disputes across Income Tax, VAT, PAYE and penalties
• Draft and prepare:
  • Requests for reasons
  • Objections and appeals
  • ADR applications and settlement proposals
• Prepare supporting schedules, timelines and case bundles
• Maintain dispute chronologies and internal notes
• Liaise with counsel when needed

2. Tax Debt & SARS Engagement

• Support with:
  • Suspension of payment requests
  • Payment deferrals
  • Compromise and write-off applications
• Draft penalty and interest remission requests
• Manage SARS correspondence and follow‑ups
• Track deadlines and key milestones carefully

3. Research & Technical Development

• Conduct legal research using legislation, case law and SARS guidance
• Draft internal research notes and opinions
• Stay up to date with:
  • Tax Administration Act
  • Income Tax Act
  • VAT Act

4. File Management & Processes

• Keep digital files organised and up to date
• Maintain trackers for deadlines and case progress
• Help improve templates and internal processes

5. Client & Team Communication

• Draft clear, professional correspondence to clients and SARS
• Attend client calls and meetings when required
• Communicate progress, risks and challenges openly

What Were Looking For

Qualifications

• LLM in Tax
• Completed or completing Practical Legal Training (PLT)
• Either:
  • Admitted Attorney (up to 2 years post‑admission), or
  • Candidate Attorney in final stages of articles with litigation exposure

Experience

• Exposure to Magistrates or High Court litigation
• Strong drafting skills (pleadings, affidavits, formal documents)
• Comfortable managing multiple matters and deadlines

Skills

• Genuine interest in tax law
• Strong legal research ability
• Excellent written English
• High attention to detail
• Solid MS Office skills
• Experience with online court systems is a plus

Working Style

• Calm under pressure
• Solutions‑focused
• Open to feedback and continuous learning

Nice to Have (Not Essential)

• Postgraduate tax qualification
• Experience with:
  • Tax disputes
  • SARS engagement
  • Tax debt management
• High‑volume litigation exposure
• Afrikaans or additional languages