How To Become a Lawyer in Australia: A Step-by-Step Guide

Eager to reap the rewards of a prestigious and stimulating career in law? Australia has highly respected law schools offering comprehensive training with a professional structure that ensures rigorous practical learning in addition to academic study, along with flexible pathways for international applicants. From getting into the leading Australian law programmes to obtaining licensure, this guide surveys career prospects for lawyers in Australia and walks you through each of the 4 essential steps required to become a lawyer.

Overview of Law Careers in Australia

Pursuing a legal career in Australia is an exciting journey and offers a range of rewarding career outcomes.

According to reporting by the Law Society of New South Wales, 74% of Australian law school graduates obtain full-time employment within four months of graduation and can vye for opportunities in diverse fields and roles, not just private practice or law firms, but also in Big Four accounting firms or other management consulting roles.

Other opportunities are also possible, in human resources, public and nonprofit advocacy, judge associate positions, politics, and journalism.

Lawyers in roles that require specialized legal expertise can earn rewarding salaries ranging widely from $70,000 to $180,000 and more.

Lawyers vs. Barristers

In Australia, legal professionals are typically referred to by the title of lawyer. Lawyers do the majority of legal advising, research, consulting, and writing, and may also represent clients in lower courts.

With the right level of qualifications and experience — including an apprenticeship or mentorship under a practising Barrister — lawyers in Australia can seek to obtain the title of Barrister, which confers authority for prestigious duties advocating in the higher courts.

As such, Barristers work as independent contractors of sorts, typically engaged on retainer by the client and client’s lead lawyer, when their services are needed, such as advocating for a client or cause in consequential court hearings and advising clients and their lawyers in these proceedings.

Role of Law Societies in Each State

Australia's legal profession is regulated by law societies in each state, such as the Law Society of New South Wales (NSW), Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VIC), and Queensland Law Society (QLD). These bodies oversee the admission process and ensure legal professionals adhere to high standards.

As you navigate your journey to becoming a practising lawyer in Australia, keep in mind that specific requirements, privileges, regulations, and duties related to your law qualifications and practice may be regulated with some differences in each respective jurisdiction.

Step 1: Obtain a Law Degree

The first step to becoming a lawyer in Australia is obtaining a bachelor's degree in law.

You can pursue a career as a lawyer in Australia with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) followed by your practical legal training (PLT).

You can also choose to continue your law study, or enhance it, by pursuing a postgraduate degree — a master's degree in law (Master of Laws or LLM) or professional doctorate, the Juris Doctor (JD).

If you already have a non-law bachelor’s and want to pivot to a career in law, applying for the JD may be a particularly good option.

LLM programmess (masters) are ideal for students who have BLL degrees already but want to do do more advanced and specialised academic study in specific areas of law.

For becoming a lawyer, obtaining the LLB is the first step. If you already have a non-law bachelor's then obtaining the JD is your first step instead!

Getting Into a Top Law School

For students aspiring to study law at a leading Australian university, preparation during secondary school is crucial.

To be able to position yourself as a top applicant to a leading law programme in Australia, it will be important to maintain the highest possible GPA and take rigorous courses.

Also crucial is striving to perform as well as possible in relevant academically challenging courses and on corresponding subject-matter qualifications in years 11 and 12.

In Australia, the most relevant qualifications are the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) and IB (the International Baccalaureate)

Applying for law in Australia as an international student? The more widely recognised qualifications include:

• IB: Participate in an IB programme and report strong IB exam scores in relevant subject qualifications in order to demonstrate strong academic readiness.
• GCE A Level: Study relevant A-Level subjects and earn strong marks.
• Others: Check your prospective schools’ accepted qualifications information to know if other qualifications, specific to your home country, are recognised.
• English Language Proficiency Assessments: IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE (Pearson).

Relevant Skills and Academic Subjects

Admissions officers for law will be looking for students with the kinds of skills that law students need to thrive academically:

• Critical thinking
• Evidence-based analysis and argumentation
• Theoretical grounding in ethics
• Sound logical reasoning
• Superior reading, research, and writing skills

So, in addition to a strong overall GPA and performing well on your subject-matter examinations, you’ll want to study subjects in the humanities and social sciences to develop core skills that admissions officers will be looking for — skills that equip you to thrive in your university law programme.

Good subjects include:

• English
• Foreign languages and literature
• Philosophy and ethics (including religious studies)
• History
• Government and politics
• Sociology or criminal justice

Here are some additional tips to ensure your qualifications help you stand out as a top candidate with strong foundations for entering a law programme:

• Engage in Extracurricular Activities: Participating in debating clubs, mock trials, or student government can demonstrate leadership and communication skills, which are highly regarded by admissions committees.
• Understand Entry Requirements: We’ve provided some general guidance on admissions qualifications, but it’s crucial to understand specific entry requirements for the Australian law schools you’re targeting and tailor your preparation and application accordingly. Some universities may require additional standardised tests, such as the LAT (Law Admission Test) for domestic applicants to the University of Sydney LLB course.
• Gain Target-Country Experience: If you’re looking to Australia as an international applicant, consider if it’s possible for you to engage in exchange programs or summer schools in Australia. This exposure can deepen your understanding of the educational environment and legal system.
• Consider Foundation Programmes: Many Australian universities offer foundation programmes specifically designed for international students. These programmes are usually one year long and prepare students for undergraduate study by focusing on academic skills and English proficiency students need for university study.

Whether you’re an Australian or an international student, by focusing on these areas during secondary schooling you can position yourself as a competitive candidate for top Australian law programmes, setting the stage for advancing with greater confidence and better success as you work towards earning your law degree.

Advanced Degrees:

• LLM (masters) takes 1 to 2 years
• JD (professional doctorate) takes 3 or 4 years

Step 2: Practical Legal Training (PLT)

After completing your law degree in Australia, the next essential step in your journey to becoming a lawyer is undertaking Practical Legal Training (PLT). This stage is crucial because academic study alone can’t fully prepare someone for all the dynamics and complexities of practising law in the real world!

So, while PLT may seem like one more hoop to pass through, think of it as a way to get support for navigating the challenges of putting your education into practice — into law practice!

Here’s a closer look at what PLT involves…

Practical Legal Training — provides law graduates with the practical skills, professional knowledge, and ethical understandings needed to practise law in Australia. It is a mandatory requirement for admission to the law profession in most Australian jurisdictions.

PLT programmes consist of professional development with the following key components:

Knowledge/Coursework — covers a range of practical subjects and skills, including:

• legal ethics and professional responsibility
• lawyer-client relationships
• advocacy and negotiation skills
• drafting and legal writing
• trust and office accounting
• civil litigation practice

Practical Experience — includes 15 to 75 days of supervised work placement (depending on the provider), and may also include simulated practice formats that replicate real-world legal scenarios where you can apply what you know in a controlled educational setting.

PLT courses and training combined usually take 6 months to 1 year to complete, depending on full-time or part-time commitments, and can vary by provider.

Upon successful completion of the PLT programme, you’ll earn your Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP).

PLT is an important step on your way to becoming a lawyer — a bridge between earning your law degree and applying for admission to the legal profession in the state or territory of your choice.

As such, PLT represents the final major learning and training component on your path to becoming a lawyer in Australia!

Step 3: Admission to the Supreme Court

Once you’ve completed your PLT, you must apply for admission to the Supreme Court in your respective state or territory. Each state has its own admission process that involves submitting several documents, such as:

• A certificate of completion for your law degree
• A certificate of completion for your PLT
• A character reference, often from a practising lawyer or a person of good standing in the community

Another component for this step is demonstrating satisfactory character and (moral) fitness — a requirement that’s common for becoming a lawyer. In Australia this includes disclosing any formal criminal, civil, or academic misconduct concerns alleged or charged to you.

Congratulations, you only have one small step left, which is simply making it all official.

That’s right, you’ve completed all of the required steps for becoming a lawyer in Australia, so you’re ready for Step 4, which is obtaining the official “practising certificate” — your official license to practise law in Australia.

Step 4: Gain Practising Certificate

Gaining your practising certificate is essentially just an administrative procedure, requiring an application and processing fees. But there are few aspects of the certification application process to keep in mind:

• Be sure to apply for certification in any and all jurisdictions in which you intend to practise law
• Understand and monitor the certification renewal cycles, steps, and deadlines so your certification doesn’t lapse
• You typically need to be employed in the legal profession in a sanctioned job role or job category before a practising certificate will be granted or renewed.

Alternative Pathways

You now know a lot about how to become a lawyer in Australia, but what if you’re not following the conventional pathways?

For example, what if you already studied or even practised law in another country? And now you want to become a lawyer in Australia. Is that possible?

Yes, there are pathways for obtaining a law degree and for becoming licensed for law practice, for international law graduates or international lawyers seeking opportunities in Australia.

1. Have your credentials assessed by the admitting authority for the jurisdiction where you wish to practice. The assessment determines whether your qualifications are substantially equivalent to those that are required in Australia.
2. If needed, undertake any required education, training, or moral fitness reviews set forth by the admitting authority (based on their assessment of your existing credentials).

For additional information, visit the Law Council of Australia website: Foreign Law and Lawyers in Australia.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a lawyer requires time and perseverance but equips you with both authoritative knowledge in law and highly valued transferable skills for opportunities in public policy analysis and advocacy, public relations work, business, HR, and other consulting and advising roles.

However, to reap the most benefits, you'll want to be sure to anticipate, plan for, and excel in each step of your journey to becoming a lawyer.

From preparing to be a top applicant at the best law schools to making the most of your law programme and practical training, excelling in each step will help you advance with more confidence and likely more success and satisfaction as well.

One surefire way to make the most out of the effort you put into becoming a lawyer is to get connected with our transformative law school admissions advisory services. You’ll get exceptional support from team members with their own impressive academic and law credentials and ready to help you achieve beyond your expectations.

Why not start working with an advisor today — one keen to learn about your law school dreams and help you map out a highly personalised roadmap for achieving your goals of getting a law degree from one of Australia’s top universities.