Australian Lawyer (LLB/JD, PLT & Supreme Court Admission)
From Priestley 11 Law Degree to Practical Legal Training (PLT), Supreme Court Roll Admission, and Top-Tier Corporate Practice or Bar Reader
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Where it leads
- Graduate Solicitor / Law Graduate (Top-Tier / Mid-Tier Firm)
- Commercial Associate / Senior Associate (Sydney / Melbourne / Brisbane)
- In-House Legal Counsel (ASX-Listed Corporate / Financial Institution)
- Government Legal Officer (Australian Government Legal Service - AGLS)
- Barrister / Court Advocate (State Bar Association)
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Graduate recruitment at top-tier commercial law firms (Allens, King & Wood Mallesons, Freehills) is exceptionally competitive, requiring high distinction academic records, clerkships, and 1,500+ billable annual hours as an associate.
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8 steps to your licence
Your route to practise: 8 steps in 4 stages. Tap a step to read it; log the date when you finish it.
Complete an accredited Australian LLB/JD covering the Priestley 11 or complete required academic equivalency subjects.
Complete the practical legal training curriculum and supervised legal placement to earn your Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP).
Be formally admitted to the Supreme Court Roll, obtain a Practising Certificate, and manage corporate transactions or litigation.
Advance to law firm equity partnership, corporate General Counsel, or pass the Bar Exam to practice as an independent Barrister.
More about this career
About the job, pay where you live, questions people ask, and where this career can take you next.
About the job
What you’d do
- Advise clients on legal matters and represent them in court
- Research statutes and earlier court decisions relevant to a case
- Draw up letters, contracts and other legal documents
- Prepare cases for court by researching, arranging witnesses and building legal arguments
- Handle conveyancing, mortgages and property sales, and manage client funds
- Instruct barristers to appear in court for clients
Where you’d work
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Financial and insurance services
- Public administration and safety
Licence to practise
Registration is with Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW (LPAB)
- Complete an accredited law course (an LLB, a JD or the LPAB Diploma in Law)
- Complete practical legal training (PLT) with an accredited provider
- Apply to the LPAB for a compliance certificate, disclosing anything relevant to whether you are a fit and proper person
- Attend a Supreme Court admission ceremony to take the oath or affirmation and sign the Roll
- Apply for a practising certificate: Law Society of NSW (solicitor) or NSW Bar Association (barrister)
Directions you can take
- Solicitor
- Barrister
- Judicial and other legal roles
Every step in full
The complete text of every step, to read or print. Work through them in the journey above.
Academic Law Degree (Priestley 11) or Foreign Lawyer Evaluation 2 steps
Master the 11 Compulsory Priestley Academic Subjects
Complete accredited law studies fulfilling the statutory academic requirements for legal admission in Australia.
Real-world task: Draft a comprehensive legal memorandum evaluating director fiduciary liability under Section 180 of the Corporations Act 2001.
Why it matters: The Priestley 11 subjects are the universal statutory prerequisite for legal admission across all Australian states and territories.
Checklist
- Complete core doctrine: Criminal Law, Torts, Contracts, Property & Land Law, Equity & Trusts
- Master public and procedural areas: Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Evidence, Company Law, and Ethics
- Participate in university competitive mooting (e.g. Jessup, Baker McKenzie National Intervarsity Moot)
- Secure a competitive seasonal clerkship at a commercial law firm during penultimate year
Complete Overseas Qualifications Assessment (Foreign Lawyers)
For foreign-qualified lawyers: obtain a skills assessment from the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB / VLAB).
Real-world task: Prepare a detailed statutory appeal factum contesting an administrative decision under the Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977.
Why it matters: The LPAB compliance certificate bridges foreign legal qualifications to full Australian admission eligibility.
Checklist
- Submit academic transcripts, certificates of admission, and good standing certificates to the state admission board
- Receive assessment determination detailing required challenge examinations or university credit top-ups
- Pass required Australian law bridging units: Australian Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Ethics
- Obtain the Compliance Certificate confirming satisfaction of academic requirements
Practical Legal Training (PLT) & Work Experience 2 steps
Complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) Coursework
Enroll at an accredited PLT provider (e.g. The College of Law or Leo Cussen Centre for Law) mastering applied skills.
Real-world task: Draft a complete statement of claim, notice to produce, and client costs disclosure agreement for a commercial contract dispute.
Why it matters: PLT develops the day-to-day transactional and procedural competence expected of an admitted practicing lawyer.
Checklist
- Complete core practice modules: Civil Litigation Practice, Commercial & Corporate Practice, and Property Law Practice
- Complete applied skill workshops in drafting transactional agreements, negotiation, and interviewing clients
- Master Legal Profession Uniform Law trust accounting and professional ethics rules
- Complete elective subjects (e.g. Administrative Law, Family Law, or Banking & Finance)
Complete Supervised Legal Work Experience (Workplace Placement)
Complete required weeks of supervised legal practice in a firm, government office, or community legal centre.
Real-world task: Conduct a title search and prepare settlement adjustment figures for an A$8 million commercial real estate acquisition.
Why it matters: Practical placement verifies ethical readiness and client matter management in active legal practice.
Checklist
- Undertake 15 to 75 days of supervised legal placement under a licensed legal practitioner
- Conduct due diligence document reviews, attend court directions hearings, and draft client file notes
- Obtain signed supervisor declarations and logbook approvals verifying practical competencies
- Graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP)
Supreme Court Admission & Solicitor Practice 2 steps
Formal Admission to the Supreme Court Roll & Practising Certificate
Attend the formal Supreme Court admission ceremony, take the oath of office, and receive your Practising Certificate.
Real-world task: Move an unopposed interlocutory consent motion before a Supreme Court Registrar on behalf of an institutional client.
Why it matters: Supreme Court admission confers the legal right to practice law as a Solicitor and Officer of the Court throughout Australia.
Checklist
- Submit admission application, character references, and police checks to the Supreme Court Admission Board
- Participate in the Supreme Court Admission Ceremony and sign the official Roll of Legal Practitioners
- Apply for a Supervised Practising Certificate with your State Law Society (e.g. Law Society of NSW / Law Institute of Victoria)
- Procure statutory Professional Indemnity Insurance (e.g. Lawcover / LPLC)
Progress from Junior Solicitor to Senior Associate
Work in commercial law, litigation, banking, or energy infrastructure, handling complex client files and billable hours.
Real-world task: Coordinate the vendor legal due diligence process and definitive transaction documentation for an A$120 million private equity takeover.
Why it matters: Associate years establish substantive technical authority and institutional client trust necessary for partnership or bar admission.
Checklist
- Complete mandatory 2 years of supervised practice to transition to an Unrestricted Practising Certificate
- Maintain 6.5 to 7.5 daily billable hours in tier-one corporate transactions or disputes
- Lead witness statement preparations, discovery reviews, and contract negotiations
- Complete 10 mandatory annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points
Partnership, In-House General Counsel, or The Bar (Barrister) 2 steps
Achieve Law Firm Partnership or In-House General Counsel Role
Build a substantial book of corporate clients or lead enterprise legal risk as General Counsel.
Real-world task: Direct the enterprise legal strategy for a hostile corporate takeover defense, coordinating with investment banks and the Takeovers Panel.
Why it matters: Partnership and General Counsel appointments represent the pinnacle of commercial influence and remuneration in Australia.
Checklist
- Generate substantial client originations (A$1.5M - A$3.5M+ AUD annual fee billings)
- Elected to Equity Partnership in a national or global law firm (earning A$400k to A$1.5M+ AUD)
- Or appointed General Counsel / Company Secretary for an ASX 100 enterprise managing internal legal teams
- Rank as a leading lawyer in Australian Chambers, Legal 500, or Doyle's Guide directories
Pass the Bar Exam & Complete Bar Reader Course (Barrister)
For advocates: pass the State Bar Examination, complete the Bar Practice Course, and take up reading at chambers.
Real-world task: Deliver opening submissions and conduct cross-examination in a multi-week Supreme Court commercial equity trial.
Why it matters: Practicing at the independent Bar provides total advocacy autonomy, with top Senior Counsel (KC/SC) earning top tier rates.
Checklist
- Pass the rigorous State Bar Examination (testing ethics, civil procedure, evidence, and criminal law)
- Complete the full-time Bar Practice / Reader Course with your State Bar Association
- Undertake 12 months of mentorship under senior junior barrister tutors (Reading)
- Secure permanent tenancy in reputable barristers' chambers and build court trial advocacy practice
Questions people ask about Australian Lawyer (LLB/JD, PLT & Supreme Court Admission)
Clear answers regarding timelines, prerequisites, salaries, and study strategies.
What are the Priestley 11 mandatory subjects required to become a lawyer in Australia?
To be admitted to the legal profession in Australia, all law graduates must complete the 'Priestley 11' compulsory academic subjects specified by the Law Admissions Consultative Committee (LACC): 1) Criminal Law and Procedure, 2) Torts, 3) Contracts, 4) Property Law (including Real Property and Personal Property), 5) Equity (including Trusts), 6) Administrative Law, 7) Federal and State Constitutional Law, 8) Civil Dispute Resolution / Civil Procedure, 9) Evidence, 10) Company Law / Corporations Law, and 11) Ethics and Professional Responsibility. These core subjects form the baseline curriculum of all accredited Australian LLB and JD degrees.
What is Practical Legal Training (PLT) and how long does it take?
Practical Legal Training (PLT) is the mandatory post-degree vocational course required before admission to the Supreme Court as a lawyer. Offered by accredited providers such as The College of Law, Leo Cussen Centre for Law, and university law faculties, PLT leads to the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP). The course covers practical legal tasks, client trust accounting, drafting pleadings, and transactional workflows. It takes approximately 15 to 24 weeks of coursework (available full-time or part-time, online or on-campus), plus a mandatory work experience placement component of 15 to 75 days of supervised legal practice in a firm or legal department.
How much do graduate lawyers and associates earn in Australia (Sydney & Melbourne vs Regional)?
Lawyer pay in Australia varies widely with the employer, practice area and city: large national firms, government, in-house legal teams and small practices pay very differently, and graduate programs set their own salaries. There is no national pay scale; government legal roles publish their pay bands.
How can foreign-qualified lawyers (e.g. from the UK, US, India, Canada) get admitted to practice law in Australia?
Foreign lawyers seeking admission in Australia must apply to the relevant State Legal Profession Admission Board (e.g. the LPAB in New South Wales or VLAB in Victoria) for an assessment of their overseas legal qualifications. The Board assesses comparability against the Priestley 11 subjects. Common law graduates from the UK, Canada, and New Zealand typically receive exemptions for most subjects, often needing to complete only 2 to 4 Australian-specific bridging topics (most commonly Australian Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Ethics). Civil law graduates or candidates from other jurisdictions may need to complete additional academic units. Once bridging subjects and PLT requirements (or relevant practice exemptions) are satisfied, foreign lawyers are eligible for formal Supreme Court admission.
What is the difference between a Solicitor and a Barrister in Australia, and how do you become a Barrister?
In Australia, all admitted legal practitioners are admitted as 'Lawyers' (Barristers and Solicitors), but the profession operates a functional split. Solicitors work directly with clients in law firms or corporate in-house roles, handling transactions, contracts, advice, and case management. Barristers are independent court advocates who operate as sole practitioners in chambers, briefed by solicitors to provide specialist legal opinions and conduct courtroom advocacy in trials and appellate hearings. To become a Barrister, an admitted lawyer must pass the rigorous State Bar Examination, complete the intensive full-time Bar Reader Course (conducted by the State Bar Association), and complete a 12-month mentorship ('Reading') under senior junior barristers.