ADMISSION TO PRACTICE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The Legal Practice Board (Board), through its Admissions and Registrations Committee, has statutory responsibility for, amongst other things, the admission of legal practitioners in Western Australia.

The admission of legal practitioners in Western Australia is regulated by the Legal Practice Act (WA) 2003 (LPA) and the Mutual Recognition (WA) Act 2001 (MRA) and the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition (WA) Act 2007 (TTMRA).
 

The Entitlement to Practice flowchart will assist you to locate the relevant information applies to your individual circumstances.

ADMISSION PURSUANT TO THE MRA AND TTMRA

Refer to the MRA Information Flow Chart

Refer to the Admission Information Flow Chart

The admission of practitioners in Western Australia is regulated by Part 4 of the LPA. Section 27(2) states that a person is qualified to be admitted as a legal practitioner if that person –

“(a) has

1. fulfilled the requirements as to the taking of a degree in law at a university specified in the rules¹ together with such other academic requirements, if any, as may be specified in the rules either generally or in respect of a degree in law of a university specified in the rules; or
2. such other qualification as in the opinion of the Board is substantially equivalent to that degree,

and has served for the term prescribed by the rules under articles of clerkship to a legal practitioner and at any time during that term has satisfied the requirements for practical legal training prescribed by the rules.”

In Western Australia law graduates are required to complete 12 months (or 6 months if so determined by the Board under rule 34(1)(b) of the Legal Practice Board Rules 2004 (Rules)) service under articles of clerkship and during that time undertake the Articles Training Program (ATP). The ATP operated by the Board and is a practical legal training course which is a component of articles of clerkship.

A person who holds a degree in law at a university specified in the Rules (rule 32 provides that for the purposes of s27(2)(a)(i) the following universities are specified: The University of Western Australia; Murdoch University; The University of Notre Dame Australia and Edith Cowan University.

Detailed information and precedents of forms for applying for registration of articles are contained in the Articles of Clerkship Guidelines.

A summary of the ATP Course, Course Calendars and information relating to fees, enrolment etc may be found under the “ATP” section of the website.