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Admission to legal practice - information for law students

Frequently asked questions

Essential information

The LIV highly recommends that all articled clerks or persons considering articles of clerkship, refer to the:

All matters relating to academic qualifications, service of articles (or other from of practical training), and everything else leading up to admission to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria up until 30 June 2008 are governed by the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999.

When can I commence my articles?

The Board of Examiners will approve your articles once you provide evidence of an approved law degree and successful completion of specific subjects set out in Rule 2.01 of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999. While applicants can obtain a law degree without completing all the specified subjects, it is important to note that applicants must finish all specified subjects prior to admission.

What do I have to do to formalise the commencement of my articles of clerkship?

Within a month of starting your articles, Rule.3.17 requries that you must prepare and lodge the following documents with the Board of Examiners in person:

You must also ask your University for a full academic record outlining all subjects undertaken and clearly showing the precise dare on which you completed your qualification. It needs to be sent directly from the university to the Secretary of the Board of Examiners by registered mail.

Your Deed of Articles cannot be back-dated.

What and where is the Board of Examiners?

The Board of Examiners is the body which administers the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999. It is the Board of Examiners that will approve your articles and sign your “Board Certificate”, which is handed up to the Bench on admission date.

The Board of Examiners’ chief purpose is to help all candidates who are properly qualified through the admission process. Therefore, you should not hesitate to seek advice or assistance from the Board of Examiners at any time.

How to get in touch:

Address: 1st Floor, 450 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Postal Address: Supreme Court of Victoria, 210 William Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Phone: (03) 9603 4388
Office hours: 9.30am - 4.00pm; Closed between 1.00pm - 2.00pm
View the Board of Examiners website.

Who can take on an articled clerk?

Articled clerks can be accepted only by legal practitioners who have been in private practice for a continuous period of five years or more, during which time there were at least two years where the practitioner held a practising certificate with:

  • an authorisation to receive trust money; and
  • an authorisation to engage in legal practice as a sole practitioner, a partner in a firm, a director of an incorporated practice or as an incorporated practitioner.

Note: The requirements are detailed in Rules 3.11(1) of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999.

If the legal practitioner does not satisfy the above requirements, he/she must seek the approval of the Board of Examiners. In particular, please refer to Rule 3.10 of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999, which details the requirements of submission to the Board of Examiners.

How many articled clerks can a Principal engage?

Not more than two articled clerks. However, a Principal may apply for the Board’s approval to increase this number. For further details, please refer to Rule 3.11(2) of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999.

Will my law degree still be valid if I don’t do my articles immediately after my degree?

As long as your law degree satisfies the requirements under Rule 2.01 of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999, you will be able to commence articles. There is no time limit on the validity of your degree for admission purposes. The Board of Examiners may ask you to liaise with your university to reassess your academic record when you come to lodging this and the accompanying forms for admission. This sometimes occurs when older academic records have different names for particular legal subjects.

Is it possible for the period of articles to be reduced if one has previously had extensive practical legal experience?

It is possible to get a reduction or “abridgement” of the term of you articles of clerkship. The Board of Examiners determines whether or not your previous legal experience entitles you to an abridgement of articles. However, you must complete at least six months of your articles of clerkship before you can apply.

The Board recommends that you contact the Secretary to the Board to discuss the basis of your application after you have completed approximately four to five months of your articles.

Secretary to the Board
Mr Lindsay Collins
Ph: (03) 9603 4389

I have a law degree from interstate. How do I commence articles in Victoria?

In exactly the same manner as a Victorian law graduate. The only difference is that you have to get your academic record assessed by a Victorian law school to obtain a Certificate 4.14. A copy of this Certificate must be forwarded to the Board of Examiners.

I have an overseas law degree. Can I commence articles or a Practical Legal Training course in Victoria?

You can make an application for admission, provided your law degree is substantially equivalent to a four-year full-time undergraduate law course in Australia and is recognised for the purpose of admission to practice in your home jurisdiction (Rule 4.04 of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999.

More information regarding applications by overseas graduates is available on the Board of Examiners website

The Council of Legal Education is the body which determines the qualifications required for overseas applicants to be eligible for admission to practice in Victoria. The contact details are:

Mr Colin Galbraith
Allens Arthur Robinson
Level 34, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: +61 3 9614 1011 or +61 3 9614 8794
Fax: +61 3 9614 4661
Email: colevic@aar.com.au

I am an overseas legal practitioner. Is that sufficient for admission to practice in Victoria?

Provided you have been admitted to practise in your home jurisdiction, and are in good standing and presently entitled to practise in that jurisdiction, you can apply for admission to practice in Victoria (Rule 4.08 of the Legal Practice (Admission) Rules 1999.

More information regarding applications by overseas practitioners is available on the Board of Examiners website

The Council of Legal Education is the body which determines the qualifications required for overseas applicants to be eligible for admission to practice in Victoria. The contact details are:

Mr Colin Galbraith
Allens Arthur Robinson
Level 34, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: +61 3 9614 1011 or +61 3 9614 8794
Fax: +61 3 9614 4661
Email: colevic@aar.com.au