Ready to pursue a career as a lawyer? There are four key steps to becoming admitted as a legal practitioner in NSW. And once you get there, you can choose to work as a solicitor or go further to become a barrister.
How to become a lawyer in four steps
What's the difference between a solicitor and a barrister?
Both branches of the profession offer varied, challenging and highly rewarding careers. Solicitors are usually the first port of call for those seeking legal advice. They also offer a range of legal services to their clients, such as drafting and managing contracts, business sales and any other matters that require a detailed understanding of the law and legal procedures. Some solicitors even choose to specialise in a particular area of law, such as family law, corporate law, or migration law.
If a client needs to attend court, solicitors will often refer them to a barrister, a lawyer who has completed further training to specialise in courtroom appearances and other formal hearings.
Whether you choose to become a solicitor or a barrister really depends on your interests, aspirations and appetite for further study. No matter which path you choose, you will need to complete the following crucial steps before your legal career can begin.
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Follow these four steps to kick-start the legal career of your dreams:
Step 1: Complete an accredited legal qualification
A university qualification is the most popular first step for a career in the law. When it comes to university education, you have two options: a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), which is an undergraduate degree; or a Juris Doctor (JD), which is a postgraduate qualification for those who already hold a degree in a non-law area.
Step 2: Do your Practical Legal Training
Once you have finished your law degree, you will need to complete practical legal training (PLT). This qualification takes about six months of full-time study and is a compulsory requirement to become eligible for admission as a lawyer. PLT includes theoretical and hands-on learning, as well as approximately 15 weeks of supervised workplace experience.
The good news is that UTS offers a PLT course, allowing you to complete all your legal qualifications in one place. We were actually the first university in Sydney to offer a PLT program and we have been preparing law graduates to become great lawyers for almost three decades.
Step 3: Gain admission to legal practice
Next, you will need to apply to the Legal Profession Admission Board for a Certificate of Compliance. Once this is granted, you will attend an Admission Ceremony at the Supreme Court of NSW, where you will take your oath of office and sign the Supreme Court Roll – and this means you are admitted as a legal practitioner.
Step 4: Apply for your Practising Certificate (or sit the Bar Exams)
Having been admitted, you can begin your career as a solicitor or go on to sit the Bar Exams to become a barrister. Most opt for the solicitor option at this stage, applying to the Law Society of NSW for a Restricted Practising Certificate which allows you to work under the supervision of a more experienced legal practitioner for two years. At the end of the two years, you will be entitled to apply for an Unrestricted Practising Certificate, which allows you to practise the law without supervision.
Many people continue working as solicitors for their entire careers, while others choose to become barristers. There is no particular point in your legal career that you become a barrister - some people sit their Bar Exams as soon as they gain admission, while others spend a few years building professional experience as solicitors first.
