INFORMATION FOR LOCAL APPLICANT UNDERTAKING PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING

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Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the information on our website www.lawadmissions.vic.gov.au. The Admission Calendar has a guideline of the dates you need to adhere to at each stage of the admission process, and the Schedules that need to be completed accurately. Admission ceremony dates and times are subject to change. 1. Read the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2008 very carefully, insofar as they apply to your case. All documents must be lodged at the office of the Board of Examiners in person by you (applicants from remote areas may request permission to lodge by post). The Boards office is open Monday Friday from 9.30am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 4.00pm. Evidence that you have obtained the academic qualifications required under Rule 2.01 Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2008. You must arrange for an academic transcript to be sent directly to the Board by the educational institution. All applicants for admission are required to file an Affidavit of Disclosure three months prior to admission. Refer Practice Direction No. 2 of 2012 All applicants for admission must seek an Academic Conduct Report from each educational institution (universities and accredited practical legal training providers) where they have undertaken tertiary studies disclosing any misconduct while undertaking those studies. You must arrange for these Reports to be sent directly to the Board by the educational institution. Refer Practice Direction No. 3 of 2009 All applicants for admission must provide a Police Report. To prevent delays in your admission it is recommended that you make the appropriate application to the Victoria Police three months prior to your intended admission date. The Report must be prepared within 6 months before the date on which your Schedule 8 is filed. Refer Practice Direction No. 1 of 2008 A certificate indicating that you have completed an approved practical legal training course to the satisfaction of the approved practical legal training provider must be sent directly to the Board by the practical legal training provider. Applicants must graduate before admission day (i.e. must have attended the formal conferring ceremony, or have had their degree formally conferred in absentia). Final Affidavits must be filed and admission fees must be paid by the due dates. Failure to do so will result in your admission date being postponed to at least the next admission date.

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Please read Notice No. 1 of 2009 - Admission Ceremony A detailed discussion of the statutory basis for the existence and powers of the Board can be found at: http://www.lawadmissions.vic.gov.au/about_the_board. The Board is committed to the protection of the information about individuals through compliance with Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). You can see our Privacy Policy at http://www.lawadmissions.vic.gov.au/about_the_board.

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Note: Prohibited Lay Associates If you have been convicted of an offence against Division 2 of Part 1 (theft and similar or associated dishonesty offences) of the Crimes Act 1958, the Legal Profession Act imposes restrictions on your ability to be employed by a law practice. The definition of Lay Associate in section 2.2.5 appears to include Supervised Workplace Trainees or other law graduates, as persons who are not Australian Legal Practitioners who are employed in connection with law practices. Part 2.2, Division 3 of the Act prohibits a person found guilty of a relevant offence from becoming or seeking to become a Lay Associate unless the person informs the practitioner of the finding of guilt. Hence it is necessary to inform a law practice of a relevant conviction when applying for a position as a Supervised Workplace Trainee or a paralegal. This obligation is separate and distinct from the duty of disclosure to the Board of Examiners on admission. A law practice must obtain the approval of the Legal Services Board to employ a Prohibited Lay Associate. For more information about this contact the Legal Services Board.

Here is a checklist to ensure you have all the necessary documents duly completed in accordance with the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2008. Notice of Intention to apply for Admission Rule 5.01 Not less than three months before the appointed day of your admission you must lodge with the Office of the Board, a Notice of Intention to apply to be admitted in the form set out in Schedule 5. You must also post a copy of the notice in the Supreme Court as designated by the Board. All applicants for admission are required to file an Affidavit of Disclosure three months prior to admission. Failure to do so may result in a delay in your admission. Documents in Support of Admission Rule 5.02 Not less than 21 days before the appointed day of Supreme Court sittings in which you intend to apply for admission, you must lodge with the office of the Board:

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an Affidavit in support of the application in the form set out in Schedule 8 (with annexures as required): notation that an academic transcript demonstrating that you have completed a course of study, including approved subjects at an academic institution, in the manner required by these Rules (Rule 5.02(c)(i)) has been sent direct to the Board. A certified copy of your law degree certificate should be annexed to Schedule 8 if the academic record sent to the Board does not show graduation. This does not mean a copy of an academic record. Applicants can check with the Board office upon lodging their Notice of Intention, whether their academic record shows proof of graduation. notation that you have completed a course of practical legal training to the satisfaction of the accredited PLT provider under these Rules (Rule 5.02)(c)(ii) and a certificate has been sent direct to the Board. notation that Academic Conduct Reports from the University and PLT Provider (Rule 5.02(c)(v))) have been sent direct to the Board. Original Police Record Check (Rule 5.02(c)(iv)).

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Two certificates as to character in the form set in Schedule 9 made by an acceptable deponent. Refer Notice No. 1 of 2013 Please note that any person who supplies an affidavit of character to support an application: (a) (b) must be aware of any disclosure made by the applicant; and must attest to that knowledge in the person's affidavit of character.

The deponent must attest: 4. I have read the applicants disclosure affidavit/s sworn/affirmed [insert date/s] and notwithstanding the contents believe the applicant to be a fit and proper person and of good fame and reputation. Because of the privacy implications of disclosures about an applicants capacity, a person who supplies an affidavit of character need not be aware of any disclosure relating to physical impairment, mental illness or addictions if any disclosure about capacity has been set out in a separate affidavit. (c) any other Affidavits, certificates and information required by the Board.

All documents annexed to Schedule 8 must bear an exhibit note.

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