Becoming a lawyer

Many professions and trades in Australia require recognised qualifications, registration with governing bodies or other legal requirements to use specific titles or offer their services to the public. 

The legal profession is Australia is regulated independently by each State and Territory. You should apply for admission in the State or Territory in which you intend to practice.

To work as a lawyer in Western Australia, you must:

If you have not been admitted to practice and don’t hold an Australian Practising Certificate, you must not engage in legal practice and can’t use titles such as lawyer or solicitor. [Part 2.1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (WA)]

Legal information

The information on this page is a guide only. For admission in Western Australia, see Part 2.2 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (WA), the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 and the approved forms.

The Legal Practice Board is an independent statutory authority within the Western Australian public sector. It advances the administration of justice and protection for the community by ensuring legal practitioner and practice compliance and resolving disputes and complaints.

A Legal Practitioner is someone who has fulfilled all the requirements to practice as a lawyer, and has a current Practising Certificate to offer legal services to the public in Western Australia. All current legal practitioners are listed on the Board’s Find a Practitioner database.