Practical legal training (PLT) is an essential requirement for admission as a lawyer in Australia.
What is UNSW’s practical legal training?
UNSW’s PLT program is the Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (GDLPP). The GDLPP offers a distinctive, practice-ready program for law graduates intending to seek admission to the legal profession. The GDLPP incorporates a combination of coursework and practical experience. It is designed to develop both practical skills and proficiency in the day-to-day practice of law and to ensure graduates not only satisfy but surpass the competency standards for entry-level lawyers.
Why a practical legal training program at UNSW?
Complete your PLT at the law school ranked 14th law school in the world*.
Our PLT program is developed with a diverse range of subject matter experts from a cross-section of the profession.
We offer students a flexible, predominantly digital pathway to practice allowing students to access content on a wide range of devices and ‘learn on the go’.
We prioritise student engagement based on a practitioner mentor model.
Students can apply to undertake unique workplace experience opportunities in the Faculty’s clinics and centres, including Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC), Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), Youth Law Australia (YLA). Placement opportunities are being expanded to include other organisations and firms.
The Practicum provides opportunities to acquire additional specialised experience, skills and knowledge with the guidance of UNSW. It also supports students who find it difficult to accrue enough work experience to complete the program.
Current UNSW Law students can complete their PLT while finishing their degree at the same institution and using the same (and familiar) institutional systems.
Upskilling - we have listened to feedback from the profession on the importance of upskilling law graduates as they transition into legal practice. The UNSW PLT program is the only PLT program to incorporate legal project management into the core PLT curriculum.
*QS World Rankings 2019
The coursework covers the competency standards for entry-level lawyers, including skills, practice areas and values.
Course study mode:
Coursework
Units of credit (UOC)
Delivery
Skills in Practice (Lawyers Skills; Problem Solving; Work Management & Business Skills)
6
Blended, online course + 5 days on site
Values in Practice (Ethics and Professional Responsibility; Trust & Office Accounting)
6
Online
Litigation Practice
6
Online
Transactional Practice (Property Practice; Commercial & Corporate Practice)
6
Online
Additional Elective practice areas (choose 2 from Administrative Law Practice; Banking and Finance; Criminal Law Practice; Family Law Practice; Employment and Industrial Relations Practice; Wills and Estates Practice)
3 + 3 = 6
Online
Work experience
Workplace experience (1)
6
20 days
Workplace experience option (2) or
6
20 days
Practicum option
6
A combination of placements, simulated workplaces, technical learning spaces, law related projects, continuing legal education and structured reflective practice
(attracts an additional fee)
The workplace experience and practicum components of the UNSW PLT program (GDLPP) gives students an opportunity to interact with practising lawyers, other staff, government officers and clients. Students apply, test and reflect on their coursework learnings as they transform their knowledge and skills into real-life practice.
Students complete work experience in a law or law-related work environment, under the supervision of a practising lawyer.
At UNSW, students enrol in the following workplace experience courses:
Workplace Experience 1 (20 days)
Workplace Experience 2 (20 days) or Practicum
Workplace Experience 1
Students complete 20 days of work experience
Students do not need to complete all 20 days with the one organisation
Students have up to 2 years to complete Workplace Experience 1 from the commencement of PLT coursework
15 days of work experience completed under Workplace Experience 1 must be completed in Australia
Requires the submission of supervisor declaration(s)
Have you completed work experience in the last 2 years? You can apply to have up to 5 days of work experience recognised towards Workplace Experience 1. Students who have 5 days recognised will only be required to complete 15 days of work experience under Workplace Experience 1.
Workplace Experience 2
Students complete 20 days of work experience
Students do not need to complete all 20 days with the one organisation
Work experience completed under Workplace Experience 2 can be undertaken in another common law country, in a legal or law-related workplace with the approval of the Faculty
Requires the submission of supervisor declaration(s), a structured reflection and a portfolio
Students can have 20 days of work experience recognised if it is completed 2 years prior to the commencement of PLT or completed up to 2 years after the completion of your online coursework.
Practicum
The Practicum provides opportunities to acquire additional specialised experience, skills, and knowledge with the guidance of UNSW. It also supports students who find it difficult to accrue enough work experience to complete the PLT program.
The Practicum may involve areas of innovation, wellbeing, specialised social justice or commercial practice, through a combination of placements, simulated workplaces, technical learning spaces, law-related projects, continuing legal education and structured reflective practice.
Requires the submission of supervisor declaration(s) as necessary, a structured reflection and a portfolio.
If you have completed work experience throughout your degree you can apply to have it recognised towards you PLT program with UNSW. Download this checklist to help you identify if your experience meets the eligibility criteria.
Practical Legal Training (PLT) FAQs
Q: I didn’t study at UNSW. Can I do the PLT program?
A: Yes. Candidates are required to have completed an accredited academic qualification in law – either a Bachelor of Laws degree, a Juris Doctor degree, or a qualification considered equivalent from an Australian university or tertiary institution. Please also see early start rule. If your law degree is not from UNSW, you will need to provide certified copies of your academic transcript.
Q: I’m an international student. Can I do the PLT program at UNSW?
A: International students based in Australia on a visa other than a student visa are eligible to apply to do the PLT at UNSW. International students are advised to seek independent immigration advice about their visa options. Students based overseas also need to be aware that the 5-day face-to-face component of Skills in Practice is held on campus at UNSW and Workplace Experience (1) must be undertaken in Australia.
Q: How long will the GDLPP take?
A: The entire program must be completed within 2 years of commencement of the coursework component. The full-time 20-week coursework component consists of a 5-day onsite intensive followed by 19 weeks of online courses. Workplace Experience (1) is 20 days; and Workplace Experience (2) and practicum are completed in students’ own time.
Q: Do I have to attend the onsite workshops?
A: Yes. All students must attend the onsite workshops.
Q: Can I do the PLT part time?
A: You can do the coursework full time, but note the 4 core courses are taken sequentially and there is also some flexibility with workplace experience components.
Q: Can I get advanced standing for any of the coursework?
A: Advanced standing for previous learning may be granted for up to 12 UoC for practical legal training courses completed at a recognised equivalent higher education provider.
Q: Can I do the coursework courses in any order?
A: The coursework is designed in a specific sequence to build your knowledge and skills in each of the practice areas. You can work ahead if you wish, however feedback and assessment will follow the timetable.
Q: How am I assessed for PLT?
A: You must complete the coursework and the work experience/practicum components. For the coursework, you must complete all the onsite workshops and all the activities in each of the online courses. The coursework activities include written and oral work to be submitted for feedback and assessment. A mentor will provide individual and/or group feedback before you are required to submit a final version of your portfolio of work for assessment.
Q: When do I have to submit my portfolio?
A: You will receive a timetable for portfolio submissions during the online coursework. You will submit a final portfolio after the work experience components are completed.
Q: Do I have to find my own workplace experience placement?
A: Yes. You will be given information about a range of workplace experience options open to UNSW GDLPP students. There are limited places and you will need to submit an application with the relevant host organisation, e.g. in-house clinics such as Kingsford Legal Centre and Refugee Advice and Casework Service.
Q: Do I have to have to do all my workplace experience in the one workplace?
A: No, but the total days for all workplace experience placements must not be less than 20 days. You will need to submit a declaration, in a form approved by UNSW Law, signed by your supervisor from each workplace experience placement.
Q: Do I have to do my workplace experience in Australia?
A: The compulsory course Workplace Experience (1) (PLTX1300) must be undertaken in Australia. Workplace experience (2) (PLTX2020) can be undertaken in another country in a legal or law-related workplace that allows students to gain an understanding of the work that legal practitioners do. It encompasses work in a variety of legal environments and may include, in addition to work for a legal practitioner in private legal practice, work in a community legal centre, Legal Aid, a government legal department, legal department of a company, working as a Judge’s associate or with a Tribunal member. Workplace Experience (2) also includes appropriate experience gained in the 2-year period prior to commencement of the GDLPP.
Q: If I can’t find a placement, will the PLT team help me find one?
A: The PLT team can offer suggestions and give you direction in finding your placement.
Q: When do I have to decide on the second workplace experience or the practicum?
A: You have two years from starting the coursework to fulfil all components of the program. You should make this decision when you still have enough time to enrol in a teaching period to complete either workplace experience or the practicum.
Q: What would I do in the practicum?
A: The practicum involves a combination of placements, simulated workplaces, technical learning spaces, law-related projects, continuing legal education and structured reflective practice. The practicum supports students who find it difficult to accrue enough workplace experience to complete the program – it is also an opportunity to acquire additional specialised experience, skills and knowledge through technical learning spaces, specialised modules (such as legal tech) or placements. Students are responsible for designing and managing the practicum in consultation with UNSW Law.
Q: Do I have to pay an additional fee if I do the practicum?
A: Yes, the practicum is a combination of online activities and workplace experience sourced for you. It requires University staff to undertake work on your behalf.
Intakes:
February (Term 1) and September (Term 3) 2020. The coursework begins with 5 days of compulsory face-to-face workshops during O-Week.
Program code:
5213
Entry requirements:
You will need:
A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or a Juris Doctor (JD), or an equivalent qualification, from an Australian university or tertiary institution.
Early start:
In New South Wales, it is possible to commence your PLT earlier if you have completed all prescribed (‘Priestley 11’) core courses/subjects and have no more than 12 UOC/2 electives to complete in your LLB/ JD or equivalent qualification.
For UNSW students: approval of early commencement in the GDLPP and verification of remaining electives requires:
UNSW PLT Program fees are not required upfront but are paid progressively with each course fee payable on the relevant census date. FEE-HELP is available for eligible students.
Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees information for this program.
I am a:
Students undertaking or planning to undertake the Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (GDLPP) at UNSW can apply for retrospective recognition of placement for Workplace Experience 2 (PLTX2020) and five days of placement for Workplace Experience 1 (PLTX1300).
What you should do if planning to undertake workplace experience before starting the coursework
1.Read Student Declaration – Part Aso you are aware of the requirements. Keep a copy and fill in the details as you know them.
2.Give your placement supervisor a copy of the Supervisor Declaration for their review at the end of your placement.
3.It’s a good idea to read the Student Declaration – Part Bso that you know the expected outcomes of your placement.
4.After your placement finishes, submit completed and signed forms to plt@unsw.edu.au:
5.The application will be assessed by the PLT Workplace Experience committee and you will be notified of the outcome.
6.Upload all signed documents and the approval notification into the relevant Workplace Experience course document folder (only possible when enrolled in the course).
What you should do if you have already undertaken workplace experience
1.Ask your placement supervisor to complete the Supervisor Declaration. (If you have a similar declaration from another institution, this will be accepted in 2020.)
4.The application will be assessed by the PLT Workplace Experience committee and you will be notified of the outcome.
5.Upload all signed documents and the approval notification into the relevant Workplace Experience course document folder (only possible when enrolled in the course).
