To be admitted as a lawyer in Australia you must complete a:
- Tertiary academic program that covers the eleven areas of legal knowledge (Priestley 11) specified in theUniform Admission Rules (eg. LLB, LLBHons or JD), and
- Practical legal training program (PLT) at another provider. The ANU no longer provides PLT.
Contacting the Admitting Authority
In order to be admitted to practice you must meet the admission requirements above and make an application in the form specified by the Supreme Court in the State or Territory in which you are seeking to being admitted. Please contact the admitting authority for the state/territory you wish to be admitted in:
- ACT Supreme Court
- NSW Legal Professional Admission Board
- Northern Territory Supreme Court
- Queensland Law Society
- Supreme Court of Tasmania
- Victorian Legal Admissions Board
- Supreme Court of Western Australia
- SA - see note below under Practising certificate*
What is a Letter of Completion
All students who completed the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice or the Master of Legal Practice at the ANU School of Legal Practice prior to 2022, are required to provide a Letter of Completion which is used by Admitting Authorities as evidence of satisfactory completion of professional legal training.
When to apply for a Letter of Completion
The online application to request a lettermust be submitted no later than two weeks prior to any given admission ceremony filing date.
We cannot issue a Letter of Completion unless you have completed the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice or the Master of Legal Practice at the ANU School of Legal Practice prior to 2022.
Please note your Letter of Completion will be issued in the exact details listed on ISIS (name and residential address, not a PO Box).
Completion (Dean's) Certificate
Also referred to as a Dean's Certificate or Dean's Letter.
Depending on the jurisdiction you are seeking admission into, you may need to provide a Completion (Dean's) Certificate to be admitted to practice. This Certificate verifies that you have completed the Priestley 11.
If you completed your Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor at the ANU but completed your GDLP/PLT at another university please complete the online application to request a letter.
Please be advised this request can take up to five business days to prepare and will be sent to your ANU email account.
If you completed your Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor AND your GDLP at the ANU, you will need to complete the online application to request a letter where you have the option to select a Completion (Dean's) Certificate as well - if required by that jurisdiction.
If you did not complete your Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor degree at the ANU, please contact the relevant University to obtain this.
Admission ceremony – moving counsel
Admission ceremonies are held regularly throughout the year; you will be required to organise your own legal counsel to be present in court to ‘move’ your admission.
Stale Learning
As of 1 January 2015 a 'stale learning' requirement comes into effect. This means that you need to apply for admission to practice within five years of completing your LLB, LLBHons or JD. Please contact the admitting authority in the state you wish to be admitted if your degree precedes the five year ruling.
Practising certificate
Once you gain employment in a legal field you may apply for a practising certificate from the Law Society or Institute in the relevant jurisdiction. You may also apply for reciprocal admission in other jurisdictions should you end up working in a different State/Territory.
*SA - you may still complete ANU School of Legal Practice's GDLP or MLP if you wish to be admitted in South Australia. However, you would need to be admitted into another state first and then transfer to South Australia under reciprocal arrangements - Law Society of South Australia.