Practical Legal Training

Upon completion of your degree, in order to be eligible for admission to practice law, it is necessary to complete Practical Legal Training (PLT)

PLT is a structured training program that will develop your practical skills and proficiency in the day-to-day practice of law. It is usually undertaken at the completion of your law degree and is an essential requirement for admission as a lawyer in Australia. Successful completion of a PLT program leads to the award of a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP), which makes you eligible to apply for admission as a legal practitioner in your jurisdiction.

In New South Wales, the PLT requirements include both structured and supervised training and workplace experience. The training includes:

  • Lawyer's Skills
  • Problem Solving
  • Work Management and Business Skills
  • Trust and Office Accounting
  • Civil Litigation Practice
  • Commercial and Corporate Practice
  • Property Law Practice
  • Ethics and Professional Responsibility
  • Two of the following electives:
    • Administrative Law Practice
    • Banking and Finance 
    • Criminal Law Practice
    • Consumer Law Practice
    • Employment and Industrial Relations Practice
    • Family Law Practice
    • Planning and Environmental Practice
    • Wills and Estates Practice

Some universities incorporate PLT into the course requirements of your degree, but if your university course does not offer this then you must attend a different organisation. PLT providers include:

For further information about PLT, please refer to the Legal Profession Admission Board Guide for Applicants for Admission.