Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
- Academic and Practical Legal training exemption
- Admission applications
- Admission ceremonies
- Student-at-law
Academic and Practical Legal training exemption
What if I have already completed a law degree overseas and have already had experience working as a lawyer in another country?
If you wish to be admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales, the first step is to have your overseas academic qualifications and your practical training experience formally assessed in accordance with the Board's Rules and the Uniform Principles for Assessing Qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission.
Academic assessment
To have your legal qualifications formally assessed you must lodge Form 16 - Application for Academic Exemption. Click the following link for the prescribed application fee that is required at the time of submitting your documents.
The Academic Exemptions Sub-Committee of the Legal Profession Admission Board is responsible for determining how
many subject(s) you would need to undertake before you fulfill the academic requirements for admission in accordance
with the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005and the Uniform Principles for the Assessment of Overseas
Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession (now adopted Nationally).
As this is a sub-committee determination, we cannot give you any advice of what exemptions may or may not be
granted in advance of an application for exemption. However, you may obtain an indication by reviewing the Uniform Principles for assessing qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession.
Practical legal training (PLT) assessment
To have your practical legal training experience formally assessed you must lodge Form 17 - Application for Practical legal training exemption. Click the following link for the prescribed application fee that is required at the time of submitting your documents.
If you have been admitted in a foreign jurisdiction, exemption from parts of the practical training aspect may be possible.
See Assessment of Qualifications for further information.
Please click on the following link for payment options: Payment options
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What documents do I send to prove I have a law degree?
The instructional pages of Forms 16 and 17 provide a list of the documents you are required to send to the Legal Profession Admission Board in support of your application. You must send original documents or copies certified by a notary public. Copies certified by a Justice of the Peace or Solicitor are not acceptable. All forms are accessible from the Forms and Fees page of our website.
I have submitted form 16 and received feedback from the Sub-Committee on what academic subjects I need to undertake. How do I complete the remaining subjects?
If you are intending on living in Australia, you may complete the remaining subjects with the Legal Profession Admission Board. You must first register as a student-at-law and then enrol in the subjects that you have been instructed to complete by the Sub-Committee. For more information, please see How to apply.
If you are intending on completing these subjects outside of Australia, you may be able to complete these subjects via an online correspondence course with an alternate institution provided the subjects you wish to take meet the sub-committees requirements. Please see the Second Schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 for New South Wales accredited law schools. You should contact these law schools directly for more information about their courses.
Once you have completed the remaining subjects you will then be required to lodge a further application for academic exemption using form 16 together with a copy of the Board's letter and prescribed application fee. Once determined the board can then provide a final assessment letter.
Alternatively, you can seek a prospective assessment to determine whether the subjects you are proposing to take meet the sub-committees requirements. This can be done prior to enrolment by lodging Form 16 together with the course outlines and content for each of the courses together with the prescribed fee.
I have submitted form 17 and received feedback from the Sub-Committee on what practical training requirements I need to undertake. How do I complete my practical training?
Practical legal training courses are conducted by any of the institutions listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. Please contact these institutions directly for more information about their courses.
I have now completed all academic and practical training requirements, am I eligible for admission?
Yes. Once all academic and practical training requirements have been completed pursuant to rules 95 and 96 of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005, you may make application to the Board for admission as a lawyer.
What if I have completed a law degree overseas but have not been admitted to practice law in my current jurisdiction?
You will need to have your academic legal qualification formally assessed.
To have your legal qualifications formally assessed you must lodge Form 16 - Application for Academic Exemption and pay the prescribed fee. The Academic Exemptions Sub-Committee of the Legal Profession Admission Board is responsible for making the decision as to how many subject(s) you would need to undertake before you satisfy all the academic requirements for admission. Given this is a Sub-Committee determination, we cannot give you any advice of what exemptions may or may not be granted in advance of any application for exemption. However, you may obtain an indication by reviewing the Uniform Principles for assessing qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession.
If you are intending on living in Australia, you may complete these subjects with the Legal Profession Admission Board. You must register as a student-at-law and enrol in the subjects you have been instructed to complete. For information on how to apply to become a student-at-law, please see our Prospective Students page.
If you are intending on completing these subjects from your home town, you may be able to complete these subjects via an online correspondence course. Please see the second schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 for New South Wales accredited law schools. You should contact these law schools directly for more information about their courses.
Once you have completed the remaining subjects you will then be required to lodge a further application for academic exemption using Form 16 together with a copy of the Board's letter and prescribed application fee. Once determined the board can then provide a final assessment letter.
Alternatively, you can seek a prospective assessment to determine whether the subjects you are proposing to take meet the sub-committees requirements. This can be done prior to enrolment by lodging form 16 together with the course outlines and content for each of the courses together with the prescribed fee.
You must then complete a practical legal training course as listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005
What if I have only partially completed a law degree in another country?
You will need to have your partial academic legal qualification formally assessed.
To have your partial legal qualifications formally assessed you must lodge Form 16 - Application for Academic Exemptions and pay the prescribed fee. The Academic Exemptions Sub-Committee of the Legal Profession Admission Board is responsible for making the decision as to how many subjects you would need to undertake before you satisfy all the academic requirements for admission. Given this is a Sub-Committee determination, we cannot give you any advice of what exemptions may or may not be granted in advance of any application for exemption. However, you may obtain an indication by reviewing the Uniform Principles for assessing qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession [PDF, 141kb].
You will then be required to complete the remaining academic requirements for admission and the practical training requirements for admission.
Where should I complete the academic requirements for admission?
If you intend on being admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales, you should consult the Second Schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. Names of accredited law schools are listed there. Some law schools listed offer online correspondence courses that can be undertaken anywhere in the world.
You should contact these institutions directly for more information about their courses and enrolment requirements.
Where should I complete the practical training requirements for admission?
If you intend on being admitted as a lawyer in New South Wales, you should consult the Fourth Schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005.
Names of accredited practical legal training providers are listed there. Some practical training providers listed offer online correspondence courses that can be undertaken anywhere in the world. You should contact these institutions directly for more information about their courses and enrolment requirements.
I have a law degree from an overseas country and I have already had my academic and practical training experience assessed by another body outside New South Wales (eg another state admission body or a university law faculty). Do I have to have my qualifications re-assessed if I want to be admitted to the New South Wales Supreme Court?
Yes. For the purpose of admission in New South Wales, you will be required to have your overseas qualifications re-assessed. Our Sub-committee will not accept any other state or university assessment. Please submit Form 16 and pay the prescribed fee.
I have changed my name since completing my law degree and wish to be admitted in my new name. What do I do?
To be admitted in your new name, please send us an original certificate issued by the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you have changed your name because you have been married, your marriage certificate issued by the Church Minister or Celebrant is not acceptable, you must provide evidence in the form of an original certificate issued by the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you wish to change your name post admission a prescribed fee is payable for any name changes to the roll.
What is my status after admission to the Supreme Court of New South Wales?
You will be admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a lawyer and you are entered on the New South Wales roll of lawyers. To practise as a solicitor, you must apply to the New South Wales Law Society for a practising certificate. Please contact the Law Society direct for more information: http://www.lawsociety.com.au/page.asp?partid=66 To practise as a barrister you must complete further examinations under the Bar Association. Please contact the Bar Association direct for more information: http://www.nswbar.asn.au/
Will I be able to find a job as a lawyer after I am admitted?
The Legal Profession Admission Board are unable to provide any information or advice on finding employment as a lawyer in New South Wales.
When is it best for me to immigrate to Australia, after I have completed my law degree, or after I am admitted in my jurisdiction?
The Legal Profession Admission Board are unable to provide any advice on when it is the best time for you to immigrate to Australia. Even if you are already admitted and working as a lawyer in your home jurisdiction, you will still be required to undertake further academic study and practical training components to be eligible for admission as a lawyer in New South Wales. Please carefully read the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 and all the information available on this website before making your decision.
Admission applications
What are the requirements for admission to the Supreme Court of New South Wales?
The current requirements for admission as a lawyer in New South Wales are outlined in rules 94, 95 and 96 of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. These rules provide both the academic and practical legal training requirements necessary for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
Which application forms do I use?
If you have been admitted in another jurisdiction, you should apply for admission using Forms 11 and 3A. If you have not been admitted in another jurisdiction, you should apply for admission using Forms 10 and 3.
How do I ensure that I have fully completed declarations as set out in Forms 10 and 11?
If you agree with the declaration as listed on the form place your signature in the corresponding box to make that declaration. If the declaration is not true, strike out the declaration by striking a diagonal line through it (do not sign the box) and ensure you attach a signed and dated disclosure. Please refer to the instructions on Forms 10 and 11 for more detailed information.
With any disclosure is essential to be frank and honest in making a declaration. If you are in doubt or if you know of anything that might adversely affect your good fame, character or fitness to practise, applicant's must attach a separate sheet marked `Disclosure',Sign, print name, and date each page. Applicant's must set out the precise details and attach relevant documents providing the Board with as much information surrounding the related event(s).
Subsequent revelations of an undisclosed fact or circumstance could lead to your name being struck-off the Roll of Lawyers. Applicant's must note: Section 11 of the Legal Profession Act 2004(References to convictions for offences) provides that reference to a conviction includes a finding of guilt, or the acceptance of a guilty plea, whether or not a conviction is recorded, and; Clause 11 of the Criminal Records Regulation 2004 provides applicants for admission are excluded from consequences of convictions being spent.
What happens after lodgement of my application?
If you have met the application deadline your application will be sent to a Board meeting usually held 10 days before the date of intended admission.
What happens if I do not meet the application deadline?
Application deadlines are very strict, please refer to the Board's calendar for relevant closing dates. Applicant's should note late applications are only accepted in exceptional cases, you cannot assume your application will be accepted after a deadline has expired. Numbers for each ceremony and the number of ceremonies are limited.
I want to be admitted in New South Wales but have completed my law degree at a university outside New South Wales that is not listed on the second schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. What do I do?
You will need to obtain a letter from the Dean of Law at your University stating that the degree course you completed complies with rule 95(1) of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. If your Dean's certificate states: "except in relation to Professional Conduct" you must attach evidence of completion of a course in Legal Ethics. Accredited courses are set out in the Board's Second Schedule. Please refer to section 3(c) of the instructions on Form 10: Application for Admission as a Lawyer for the correct wording of the letter. This form is available to download from our website from our Forms and Fees page.
I want to be admitted in New South Wales but have completed my practical training course at an institution outside New South Wales that is not listed on the fourth schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005.What do I do?
You will be required to produce, in the prescribed form, a certificate from your practical training provider stating you satisfied the practical training requirements for admission in that jurisdiction and a letter which states that the requirements of the course includes evidence of the attainment of competencies in the areas set out in the sixth schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. You will have to speak directly to your practical training provider about obtaining these letters.
I know I have to complete an ethics component to be admitted to the New South Wales Supreme Court. I am not sure if the course I have completed will be recognised by the Legal Profession Admission Board for the purpose of admission?
Please check the second schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 for a list of New South Wales accredited legal ethics courses. If you have completed one of these courses, then you have satisfied the legal ethics component for the purpose of admission in New South Wales.
I have not completed a legal ethics course listed in the second schedule of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. What do I do?
You are not eligible for admission until you have completed an accredited legal ethics course.
Will I be able to find a job as a lawyer after I am admitted?
The Legal Profession Admission Board is unable to provide any information or advice on finding employment as a lawyer in New South Wales.
I have changed my name since completing my law degree and wish to be admitted in my new name. What do I do?
To be admitted in your new name, please send us an original certificate issued by the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you have changed your name because you have been married, your marriage certificate issued by the Church Minister or Celebrant is not acceptable, you must provide evidence in the form of an original certificate issued by the Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages. If you wish to change your name post admission a prescribed fee is payable for any name changes to the roll.
What is my status after admission to the Supreme Court of New South Wales?
You will be admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a lawyer and you are entered on the New South Wales roll of lawyers.
What about Practical Legal Training or College of Law results?
Confirmation of completion of PLT is required to be submitted with application for admission.
When will I get confirmation of admission?
All admission applications will be referred to the respective Board meetings for consideration. Confirmation of approval of admission with time details and other particulars will be posted to the address stated on your application form the day after the relevant Board meeting. Please note that this information will not be given out by phone. Please wait for your confirmation letter to arrive. However, if you have not received your letter by the Monday of the week in which you expect to be admitted, please contact our office by email ag_lpab@agd.nsw.gov.au.
Will I get the my academic transcript back?
No. When you lodge your admission application you are required to attach/lodge an original academic transcript which the Board retains. It is not necessary to send your degree testamur to the Board as you must provide an original transcript. Your transcript must state that you are eligible for the award of the law degree.
Please consult the Board's policy on the lodgment of original documents.
Where do I obtain a practising certificate to practise as a Solicitor or Barrister?
To practise as a solicitor, you must apply to the New South Wales Law Society for a practising certificate. Please contact the Law Society direct for more information: http://www.lawsociety.com.au/page.asp?partid=66 To practise as a barrister you must complete further examinations under the Bar Association. Please contact the Bar Association direct for more information: http://www.nswbar.asn.au/
Admission ceremonies
Where will the ceremony be held and at what time?
Normally admission ceremonies in Sydney are held in the Banco Court, Level 13, of the Law Courts Building at 184 Phillip Street, Sydney. There are entrances to the building on Phillip Street and Macquarie Streets. Please check our Home Page for any announcements regarding venue changes.
Depending on the number of applications received, we may hold between one to seven ceremonies on the day. If your application is approved, you will then be notified in writing of the time of your ceremony. As a matter of policy, this information cannot be given over the phone, it can only be confirmed in the letter sent after the Board meeting. Usually, the likely times for the ceremonies are at 90 minute intervals from 9.15am. Applicants are placed alphabetically according to their surnames (applicants cannot choose which time their admission will be). It will take approximately one and a half hours from the time of arrival for the ceremony to the time the ceremony concludes and you have completed all necessary paperwork.
It is important that you arrive at the Law Courts building at least 40 minutes prior to the ceremony. The Court room will open approximately 30 minutes before the ceremony start time to seat applicants, movers, guests and provide instructions for the conduct of the admission ceremony.
Please note that if you arrive late, after the ceremony has commenced, it is possible you may not be admitted.
Do I have to bring anything to the ceremony?
No, you do not need to bring any paperwork to the ceremony. Please refer to the Admission Ceremony Factsheet.
Who can move my admission?
A local lawyer currently on the roll in New South Wales or an Australian Legal Practitioner can move your admission. It is not necessary for a local (NSW) lawyer moving an admission to hold a practising certificate. However, interstate practitioners must hold a current local (NSW) or interstate practising certificate to move an admission. Certificates must be presented to staff at the Ceremony before moving an admission.
Please note that members of the judiciary i.e. (magistrates/judges) may not move an admission. It is however possible for retired members of the judiciary to do so.
I am unable to find a mover, what do I do?
Please refer to the Admission Ceremony Factsheet.
What do I wear?
Normal business attire.
How many guests can I bring?
Please refer to the Admission Ceremony Factsheet.
How do I get a practising certificate?
All matters relating to practising certificates should be addressed to the Law Society on (02) 9926 0333 or the Bar Association on (02) 9232 4055.
If I have a disability how can I ensure access to the Supreme Court on Admission Day?
The Banco Court can accommodate Admission Applicants with mobility impairments. For more information please contact the Office Manager on (02) 9338 3500 or send us an email to ag_lpab@agd.nsw.gov.au
Student-at-law
What is the status of the Diploma compared to a law degree?
The Board's Diploma in Law qualifies a person academically for admission as a Lawyer in New South Wales. Thus, for admission purposes in New South Wales, it is the equivalent of an LLB degree from a New South Wales accredited University Law School. Many eminent practitioners, including judges, senior partners and senior counsel, have entered law by undertaking the Diploma in Law.
The Board, as the admitting authority in New South Wales, regards both university degrees and the Diploma in Law equally as a professional qualification. There is agreement, though, that in law your learning and preparation never stop.
When can I apply?
An application to become a student-at-law can be lodged at any time, however, to begin in the May semester your application must be submitted no later than 1 March, and to begin in the November semester you must submit it no later than 1 September.
Do I enrol as a University student?
No. You enrol with the Legal Profession Admission Board. The Law Extension Committee (LEC) of the University of Sydney was established in 1964 to assist students in their preparation for the Board's examinations. You must undertake the Law Extension Committee's educational program in each subject you take, but your enrolment is with the Board, you sit for the Board's examinations and you are a candidate for the Board's Diploma in Law.
Can I study the Diploma by correspondence?
The LEC offers a teaching program in evening lecture and external modes, allowing people to study law in the country as well as the city. Studying in external mode should not, however, be confused with what may be generally understood as correspondence or distance learning.
The LEC is unable to provide a comprehensive distance or correspondence teaching program. External students are expected to attend the two weekend schools each semester that are conducted on the main University campus.
How does the examination system work?
The Board appoints a Principal Examiner and a Revising Examiner in each subject. The Principal Examiner sets the examination according to the Board's syllabus, which is reflected in the Subject Guide prepared by the Principal Examiner in consultation with the Law Extension Committee. The Principal Examiner is usually the Committee's Lecturer in the subject. When the examination is set, it is reviewed by the Revising Examiner.
Assignment results contribute 20% to the final mark in each subject. The LEC administers the setting and marking of assignments.
Examination scripts are marked by the Principal Examiner, and in some cases by additional markers. As an additional safeguard, candidates that achieve an overall combined assignment and examination mark of 40 - 49/100 will have their exam papers marked again by the Revising Examiner.
How does it work having one body teaching and another examining?
It can work well once you get used to the fact that there are two bodies involved, each with a different role.
The Board exists to ensure that people become lawyers only if they are properly qualified and of good reputation and character. The Board's examinations are to test whether you have sufficient academic competence in an area to be allowed to proceed to further examinations and, eventually, to legal practice. Thus, the Board: registers you as a Student-at-Law; enrols you in each subject; examines you; keeps your academic records; excludes you if necessary; but hopefully eventually declares by awarding you the Diploma in Law, that you have completed the academic requirements for admission as a Lawyer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
The Law Extension Committee, on the other hand, has the task of providing you with tuition to help you to pass the Board's Examinations. Thus the Committee provides lectures, week-end schools, assignments, access to the Law School library, subject guides and online resources, and a range of other services to assist you.
In almost every case the Board's Examiners or Revising Examiners also teach for the Law Extension Committee. The Board will allow you to sit for an examination only if, in the session immediately preceding that examination, you have satisfactorily completed the Law Extension Committee's course of tuition for that examination.
What if I fail or don't make much progress?
If you fail a subject twice or do not sit for at least two examinations in any two successive sessions, you will be excluded from the course. However, it is possible to apply for the exclusion rules to be relaxed.
Can I apply for exemptions on account of previous study?
Students who have completed, before becoming Students-at-Law, units in law degree courses at recognised universities may apply for exemption from certain subjects that are considered substantially equivalent to those in the Diploma program. Applications can be made on Form 16 [PDF, 63kb].
Is full-time study possible?
The course is designed to be especially suitable for part-time students. In the first four semesters students take not more than two subjects per semester (part-time workload). When eight compulsory subjects have been completed, three subjects per semester (full-time workload)are permitted.
Students wishing to enrol in more than the normal allowable number of subjects may seek permission to do so by lodging an application in accordance with the instructions set out in the Course Information Handbook.
Is HECS-HELP or Austudy available?
The Higher Education Loan Program (HECS-HELP) does not apply. The Board's course has been approved for Austudy, which is a means-tested scheme of financial assistance for full-time students.
A full-time study load is regarded as equivalent to three or more subjects. Further information on Austudy is available from your local Centrelink office.
How much does it cost and how can I pay?
Please refer to the Third Schedule for current fees. Payment for registration as a Student at Law is by cheque*, money order, credit card i.e visa, mastercard or cash. Enrolment fees cannot be paid in cash. Cheques and money orders should be made payable to the Legal Profession Admission Board.
*Bank or Solicitor Cheques only please see payment options for more information.
Can I go on to further study?
Yes. After completing the Diploma you may be eligible for candidature in a University Master of Laws (LLM) program, or other specialised postgraduate law courses. Diploma students have a successful presence in the University of Sydney's prestigious postgraduate program.
Where are the lectures held?
The program may be taken in evening lecture or external mode. Evening students attend a lecture in each subject each week (6.00pm - 8.30pm or 9.00pm) in a 12 -14 week teaching semester, on the main Sydney University campus at Camperdown, near the CBD, or at the Old Law School building (St James campus) in Phillip Street, Sydney.
Where can I sit for the examinations?
The Board's exams are held in; Sydney, Parramatta, Albury, Armidale, Broken Hill, Canberra, Dubbo, Lismore or Newcastle.
When I have finished the course, where can I do a practical legal training course?
The Board publishes a schedule of approved Practical Legal Training providers.
What options exist for graduates, other than legal practice?
Lawyers are in demand in a wide range of occupations, including accountancy, government departments, insurance, banking and finance.
Is there still a difference between Barristers and Solicitors?
Although flexibility between the two arms of the profession is increasing, in New South Wales you may still practise as a Solicitor or as a Barrister. Barristers traditionally provide specialist advocacy and advice. If you wish to practise as a Barrister after admission as a lawyer you will also complete a Reading Program conducted by the Bar Association.
Further information is available from the Law Society and the Bar Association, and from the equivalent bodies in other states.
What are my options if I have a disability?
A candidate may apply to the Board for special examination conditions if he or she has a medical, physical, sensory or psychiatric condition or impairment, or a documented learning disability which will prevent him or her demonstrating the extent of his or her knowledge in an examination.
A candidate must supply recent relevant documentation in support of his or her application, which should be made as soon as possible after enrolling but no later than the date specified in the current Course Information Handbook. The medical documentation should describe the condition, its likely development over time, and the type and extent of special examination conditions which would permit the student to perform on his/her merits. Special examination conditions are approved for a specified examination session only and Students should not assume ongoing approval and must reapply each session.
How do I withdraw from an Examination?
Candidates are not required to give notice that they are withdrawing from subjects in which they are enrolled. A candidate who does not present himself or herself for examination will not be recorded as having failed the examination.
In ceasing to prepare for an examination, however, a candidate should be mindful of the progression and exclusion rules and to any special conditions which may have been imposed on him or her by the Examinations Committee.
Enrolment fees are not refunded, or carried forward to a later session, in cases where a student withdraws.