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Admission to the Legal Profession

Published:
16 Jul 2024
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Admission to the Legal Profession

Requirements For Admission

Ready to seek admission to practice as a lawyer? To do so, you’ll need to meet the following requirements: 

  1. Completed your Bachelor of Laws or equivalent course
  2. Completed a Practical Legal Training (PLT) program, which awards you a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice 
  3. You’re a fit and proper person  

But there are a few more steps after this that you need to take.  

Here’s your checklist.  

 

1. Proof of Qualification

To apply for admission you, you need to have a Certificate of Completion from The College of Law for your Practical Legal Training.

Here's what you need to do:

  1. Finish your coursework

  2. Complete your work experience requirements:
    • Submit your Work Experience Application for Approval form
    • Submit your Work Experience Declaration form 
    • Submit your Work Experience Journal (75-day work experience option)

  3. Finish your Continuing Professional Education (CPE)  

  4. Provide your official law degree transcript

Once you've completed these steps, you'll get certified digital copies of your graduation documents through the My eQuals portal. You'll receive an email notification when these verified digital documents are ready. Then, you can proceed to apply to your local admitting authority.

Learn more about the My eQuals portal.

 

2. Apply for Admission

Each state and territory has different requirements and processes for admission. The process usually includes:

  • Providing evidence of your academic and PLT qualifications 
  • Disclosing details of any conduct that may reflect on whether you are a fit and proper person  

However, some admitting authorities impose specific, additional requirements for admission. For instance, if you’re in Queensland, the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board requires that you advertise your intent to apply for admission in local publications.  

Please refer to your local admitting authority to learn more.

Region 

Admitting Authority

Court

Australian Capital Territory

Legal Practitioners Admission Board

Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Legal Profession Admission Board

Supreme Court of New South Wales

Northern Territory

Legal Practitioners Admission Board

Supreme Court of the Northern Territory

Queensland

Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board (See the Queensland Courts website or the Queensland Law Society website)

Supreme Court of Queensland

South Australia

Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council (See the Law Society of South Australia website

Supreme Court of South Australia

Tasmania

Board of Legal Education (See the Law Society of Tasmania website)

Supreme Court of Tasmania

Victoria

Council of Legal Education – Victorian Legal Admissions Board

Supreme Court of Victoria

Western Australia

Legal Practice Board

Supreme Court of Western Australia

 

Once you have been admitted as a lawyer, you are eligible for admission in other Australian states or territories under the Mutual Recognition Scheme or directly. 

 

3. Admission Ceremony

If your application for admission has been successful, you must attend an admission ceremony. 

At the ceremony, you will:

  • Take an oath of office or make an affirmation of office
  • Sign the Supreme Court Roll
  • Receive your Certificate of Admission

At the ceremony, your admission will need to be ‘moved’ by a person who is:

  • On the Supreme Court Roll (whether or not the person holds a current practising certificate)
  • An Australian legal practitioner, provided he or she holds a current practising certificate.

If you're a PLT graduate, the College of Law may be able to arrange the mover for your ceremony. Please contact us to learn more.

 

4. Practising Certificate

A practising certificate is a licence which allows a solicitor to provide legal services. 

Below is a list of the organisations that issue practising certificates in Australia:  

Region

Practising Certificate Issuing Authority

Australian Capital Territory

 ACT Law Society or ACT Bar Association

New South Wales

 The Law Society of New South Wales

Northern Territory

 The Law Society of Northern Territory

Queensland

 Queensland Law Society

South Australia

 The Law Society of South Australia

Tasmania

 The Law Society of Tasmania

Victoria

 The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner

Western Australia

 The Legal Practice Board of Western Australia 

 

Once you have obtained a practising certificate you can practice law in any other Australian state or territory without applying for an additional practising certificate.

 

Professional Development

You need to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) to maintain your practising certificate. 

But the specific requirements vary among states and territories. 

The College of Law offers a range of CPD courses to help lawyers renew their practicing certificates.

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