Qualifying to Practice Law
In Australia, legal practice is regulated at state level.
In Victoria, you can only engage in legal practice if you hold a current practising certificate. There are a handful of limited exceptions to this requirement that you can read about in the Practising in Victoria section of the LIV website.
Practising certificates need to be renewed on an annual basis. Different types of practising certificates are required for different kinds of positions.
You can only apply for a practising certificate in Victoria if you are admitted to legal practice in an Australian jurisdiction. You only need to be admitted once.
In order to be admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria, you must first complete either a Practical Legal Training (PLT) program like the one offered by The College of Law Victoria in association with the LIV or Supervised Workplace Training (SWT) as an employee of a firm.
For more detailed information about practising certificates, including information for applicants from interstate, New Zealand, or other overseas countries, go to the Practising in Victoria section of the LIV website.