External

Examiners

External examiners

A law practice has received or held trust money during the trust year must have its trust records externally examined by a qualified External Examiner (EE). 
The EE will be required to submit the External Examiners Report (EER).

Eligibility to Act as an External Examiner

You may act as an EE if you:

  • Meet the eligibility requirements under sections 155–156 of the Uniform Law and Rule 65 of the General Rules, and
  • Have successfully completed an approved External Examiner course conducted by:
    ✓ The Law Society of NSW
    ✓ The Law Institute of Victoria
    ✓ The Legal Practice Board of Western Australia

External Examiner Course

To attend the next available external examiner course offered by the Law Society of NSW Register your Interest.

(A LawID is required to register. If you do not have a LawID, you must apply for one before proceeding.)

Role of an External Examiner

An EE is responsible for conducting an independent examination of a law practice’s trust records to assess compliance with the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) and the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules.

Completing and submitting the EER

The EER must be completed and lodged via the Trust Lodgement Portal (TLP). 

Refer to the TLP Guidance for External Examiners for instructions on preparing and submitting the report.

Key Date

The EER must be lodged by 31 May each year.

EEs should liaise with the law practice early to ensure trust records are available in sufficient time.

Updating Your Details

  • The following details can be updated directly in the TLP:
  • Firm name
  • Business address
  • Phone number
  • Publication of your details on the website

For any other changes, contact the Trust Accounts Department: at trust@lawsociety.com.au.

Key Resources

These resources have been developed in response to practitioner feedback and are reviewed and updated annually: