Change in practice details

Clause 61 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Regulation 2015 requires a local legal practitioner to notify the Law Society of any changes in particulars relating to the practitioner within seven days of the change occurring. If you need to change your details, please notify the Law Society Registry in writing. You may use the Change in Employment Details Form.

Change in category of practising certificate

Depending on the category of practising certificate which you hold, a change to your practising particulars, may require you to change your practising certificate to another category. For details of practising certificate categories and manner of permitted practice within each category, see Your Practising Certificate.

If you wish to practise as a sole practitioner, partner, authorised principal or supervising legal practitioner at a community legal service, then you must hold a practising certificate authorising you to practise as a principal of a law practice. If you do not already hold a practising certificate as a principal, then an application must be made by completing the form 'Variation of a Practising Certificate to Practise as a Principal'.

If your practising certificate is currently subject to condition 2 (the requirement to engage in supervised legal practice), an application to remove condition 2 may be made by submitting a statutory declaration addressing the 'Supervised Legal Practice Guidelines'. This submission will need to be determined prior to commencing as a sole practitioner, a supervising legal practitioner at a community legal service or sole principal of an incorporated or unincorporated legal practice.

If your practising certificate is currently subject to condition 3 (the requirement to complete a Practice Management Course), you will be required to complete an approved Practice Management Course prior to commencing as a principal.

Note: A practising certificate authorising the holder to practise as a principal of a law practice will not be granted unless professional indemnity insurance requirements are met. A law practice must have professional indemnity insurance cover before commencing to engage in legal practice and professional indemnity insurance must be maintained at all times while engaged in legal practice.

Important fee information

Changing your practising certificate may attract additional fees/contributions. An additional Legal Practitioners’ Fidelity Fund contribution will be required if you are changing your practising certificate from corporate or government legal practitioner to principal or employee of a law practice.