Practical Legal Training (PLT) is an essential requirement for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW and by mutual recognition to the Supreme Courts of other Australian states and territories. PLT at UTS prepares students for the diversity and dynamics of legal practice.
Practical Legal Training (PLT)
PLT at UTS
Practical Legal Training (PLT) at UTS prepares you for the diversity and dynamics of legal practice and enables you to join the profession as a highly competent and well-equipped lawyer. This course is an essential requirement for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW, and by mutual recognition to the Supreme Courts of other Australian states and territories.
As the first Sydney-based university to offer a PLT program, UTS has a reputation for graduate employability, career readiness and high quality professional legal education.
The UTS PLT program can be completed within the standalone Bachelor of Laws or as a postgraduate qualification of Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice.
The UTS PLT program offers students
- professional training from experienced practitioners and educators
- flexible delivery modes to suit your needs
- an option of 65 or 20 days practical work experience
- three intakes a year: Autumn, Spring and Summer
- work-ready assessments; no exams or essays
- choice of six electives
- career and academic support
- competitive fees
How to undertake Practical Legal Training (PLT)
UTS Law students:
Undergraduate
- Entirely within the stand-alone UTS Bachelor of Laws, in the final stage of study
OR - By enrolling into the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice, at the completion of a UTS combined law degree. You may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage 10% saving and and Early start rule (more information below).
Postgraduate
- Completing the UTS Juris Doctor, followed by enrolment into the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice. You may be eligible for the Alumni Advantage 10% savings
OR - Completing integrated Juris Doctor and PLT studies through the UTS Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice
External applicants
Bachelor of Laws of Juris Doctor from an Australian University
If you hold a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor from an Australian university and you opt for Stream A (see below), you will receive recognition of prior learning (RPL) for 6-credit-points towards the Graduate Certificate, meaning you are required to complete only 18-credit-points.
Diploma of Law from the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board applicants
If you hold a Diploma of Law from the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board and you wish to enrol in Stream A (see below), you may apply for 6-credit-points of recognition of prior learning towards the Graduate Certificate based on relevant professional experience.
If you hold a law degree from outside Australia, see this information about the application process.
Course components
The UTS PLT program comprises two options: Stream A and Stream B.
Stream A
- 3 coursework subjects (18 credit points).
- 13 weeks (65-days) practical work experience placement in a law or law-related work environment (zero-credit-points/no fees). Prior work experience may be counted towards practical work experience.
The subjects you need to complete are:
75424 Skills and Wills Practice
75422 Property and Commercial Practice
75423 Litigation Practice
75411 Practical Experience (PE) (65 days). Read the PE rules
Stream B
- 4 coursework subjects (24-credit-points).
- 4 weeks (20 days) practical work experience placement in a law or law-related work environment (zero-credit-points/no fees).
The subjects you need to complete are:
75424 Skills and Wills Practice
75422 Property and Commercial Practice
- 75425 Lawyers in Practice
- 75426 Practical Experience (PE) (20 days). Read the PE rules
Fees and FEE-HELP
For detailed information about fees, please see our PLT brochure
More information about fees
Early start rule
In some circumstances, it is possible for students to commence PLT before they have completed their legal studies. Please note that the early start rule ONLY applies to students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (GCPLP). If PLT is integrated into your Bachelor of Laws, or you are enrolled in the Juris Doctor GCPLP, this does not apply to you (as enrolment in the PLT subjects is based on access conditions).
To take advantage of the early start rule, you must have completed all your core law subjects and have no more than two law electives remaining in your degree. You must be enrolled in and complete your remaining law elective(s) in the same session that you commence early PLT. You must also have written consent from the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB). The process of applying for early commencement of PLT is as follows:
- In the session prior to commencing early PLT, UTS students can email the Faculty of Law’s Academic Programs Officer (APO), tiffany.voll@uts.edu.au, noting that you would like to commence PLT early, and are requesting the confirmation of subjects remaining (students from other Australian law schools must contact their law school for a confirmation of subjects).
a. In accordance with LPAB requirements, the APO may only provide the required confirmatory information upon results release in the session prior to commencement of PLT. Once this has been done, you will receive an email from the APO, which will confirm that the information was sent to the LPAB. - Apply to the PLT program by submitting an application to the GCPLP. You do not need to wait for LPAB approval, as you may be made a conditional offer into the GCPLP program. This will allow you to accept the offer and enrol in subjects.
- Once you receive the email from the APO confirming that they have provided the LPAB with the number of subjects remaining in your law degree, you can then apply to the LPAB to seek approval to undertake early PLT study. Details as to the application process is on the Board’s website*.
a. If approved by the LPAB, the Board will notify UTS Admissions directly of the outcome.
b. In the event the LPAB refuses your application or if you fail a subject, you must withdraw from PLT subjects before Census date. It is your responsibility to ensure you have met the requirements of the early start rule, and it is recommended you read the LPAB Guide for Applicants for Admission as a Lawyer before you apply to start PLT early.
All other student enquiries should be lodged through ASK UTS.
*Please note that Item 1 on the early PLT application form states you need a letter from the Dean of your Law School. At UTS, this has been replaced by the APO confirming the number of subjects remaining in your law degree with LPAB directly, so please do not request a letter from the Dean. On Item 7, please include a note that the Faculty confirmation of your remaining law subjects has been sent.
How to apply
Apply for the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice online via My Student Portal.
Bachelor of Laws students opting to complete PLT in their degree, you need to enrol in the PLT Options (CBK92385) in CBK92210.
NB: UTS students do not need to supply an academic transcript with the application.
Admission as a lawyer
Once you have completed the PLT program, including practical experience, you are eligible to apply for admission with the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB).
The LPAB website has details on admission dates and application via the Online Admission Portal:
To support your application, UTS Law will provide:
- An original academic record (transcript)
- Statement of Practical Legal Training PLT completion (Dean's Certificate); and,
- An academic misconduct report, if required, under the rules for admission with the LPAB. These reports can be requested via Law.PE@uts.edu.au
It is your responsibility to ensure you have met all the requirements to be admitted as a lawyer, it is recommended you read the LPAB Guide for Applicants for Admission as a Lawyer before you start your application for admission as a lawyer.
