Apply for Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

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GD-LAWLP

Legal Practice

Graduate diploma

Gain practical legal training for admission to the legal profession in Western Australia.

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Course outline
  • Qualification
    Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice
  • Duration

    Duration

    7 months full-time
  • Credit

    Credit

    200
  • CRICOS

    CRICOS

    096301D
  • Location

    Location

    Perth city
Course outline

Deadlines for applying direct to Curtin

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Study Block 1, 2024

24 July 2023

Applications now closed!

Course outline
Legal Practice

Outline

Outline

This specialised, practical legal training (PLT) course is aimed at law graduates who wish to apply for admission to the legal profession in Western Australia.

It is approved by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia and was the first PLT program to be delivered by a WA university.

You will study civil litigation practice, commercial and corporate practice, and property law practice. You will also further your legal skills in a range of essential areas including advocacy, cross-cultural communication, dispute resolution, drafting legal documents and legal interviewing. Students are also required to complete a one week placement with the John Curtin Law Clinic.

This course is delivered in the heart of the Perth CBD and legal precinct. We offer the convenience of early evening classes, so you can better manage your work and family commitments. You may also request assessment extensions if you have been affected by work commitments outside of your control.

This course focuses on practical learning activities and does not include any exams. You will be required to undertake 75 days of work experience within a Curtin-approved legal workplace or a 40-day work placement at the John Curtin Law Clinic (limited places by application). If you complete your work experience through the John Curtin Law Clinic, you will work directly with clients, providing advice on real matters, and learn to manage case files using practice management software.

Taught through the expertise of Curtin Law School, you will be supported through regular, face-to-face seminars and workshops with experienced members of the legal profession.

You may be able to start this course before completing your Bachelor of Laws in certain circumstances, provided you have obtained prior approval from the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. Read more

To discuss your eligibility for early commencement, or if you have any questions about the course, please contact Curtin.PLT@curtin.edu.au.

Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.

What jobs can the Legal Practice lead to?

Careers

  • Lawyer
  • Barrister

Industries

  • Banking and finance
  • Courts and tribunals
  • Government
  • Law
  • Resources and renewables
  • Private legal practice
  • In-house legal counsel

What you'll learn

  • research, interpret and apply knowledge of Western Australian and Commonwealth legal concepts, theory, procedure, statutory rules, case law principles, work management and business skills and professional ethical responsibilities to understand, evaluate and apply them in legal practice
  • critically and creatively analyse complex legal problems to effectively identify and articulate the issues involved, generate innovative options and apply legal reasoning to make a considered choice between competing solutions which best serves the needs of the client
  • identify, access, assess and synthesise relevant information from a client, primary legal sources such as cases and legislation and secondary sources such as journal articles, commentaries, relevant websites and precedents (including electronic versions of these sources), identify all relevant issues and gather and present relevant information in practical oral and documentary advice, legal documentation and communications
  • identify and evaluate the needs of a client and the purpose of a proposed communication; accurately confirm instructions, effectively undertake inquiries, communicate the outcomes of legal research and analysis effectively, appropriately, practically and persuasively to colleagues, clients, courts and tribunals, other professionals and the broader community
  • use appropriate electronic resources (law libraries, on-line searches, electronic data bases, legal citators and digests) - for advanced legal research and precedent identification purposes, use appropriate institutional databases for search and lodgement functions for legal documents, understand appropriate technologies to maintain trust and office accounts and file management and be able to communicate effectively in electronic forms
  • use learning by doing and observing, documenting in writing and critically reflecting on your own and others’ performance as legal professionals, making use of feedback as appropriate, demonstrating intellectual curiosity including via research tasks and problem solving, and demonstrating an understanding of resilience and well-being in the legal profession
  • understand the similarities and differences between local and other jurisdictions, including interstate and overseas jurisdictions, and be aware of the client’s and other practitioners’ perspectives, be able to effectively represent clients in negotiations by recognising other perspectives and apply best practice file and client management practices
  • demonstrate a highly developed understanding of, and be able to identify and respond appropriately to, cross-cultural verbal and non- verbal communication issues, particularly indigenous cultures and the possible effect that these issues may have upon a client’s dealings with the police, courts, government and legal agencies
  • understand, apply and demonstrate professional responsibility and professional courtesy in all dealings with clients, the courts and tribunals, the community and other practitioners and demonstrate ethical legal practice and professional integrity when working within a team and independently

Professional recognition

  • The Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice fulfils the Practical Legal Training requirement for admission as a practitioner by the Supreme Court of Western Australia.

I chose Curtin’s Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice over other providers’ programs, because Curtin emphasised practical learning. The face-to-face sessions with those engaged in the profession and the fact that it was relatively easy to fit the program in with full-time employment, were also drawcards.

Surina Maharaj

Admission criteria

What you need in order to get into this course. There are different pathway options depending on your level of work and education experience.

Specifically, applicants require a Bachelor of Laws, Juris Doctor or equivalent qualification from a recognised university approved under the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2009 (WA), or otherwise have received prior written approval from the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia to enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice Course. Students who have less than 50 credits of optional units remaining in the undergraduate degree and have received written approval from the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia may be enrolled to commence the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice concurrently with enrolment in those optional units.

English requirements

Curtin requires all applicants to demonstrate proficiency in English. Specific English requirements for this course are outlined in the IELTS table below.

You may demonstrate English proficiency using the following tests and qualifications.

IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System)

Writing

6.0

Speaking

6.0

Reading

6.0

Listening

6.0

Overall band score

6.5

Credit for recognised learning (CRL)

Use your experience to get credit towards your degree

Finish your course sooner with credit for your previous study or work experience.

Fees and charges

Domestic fee paying postgraduate

2024 Fee year:

$12,416*

Domestic

Domestic

2025 Fee year:

$12,416*

Domestic

Domestic

Fees are indicative only.

* Based on a first-year full-time study load of 200 credits. The total cost will depend on your course options (i.e. units selected and time taken to complete).

Looking for more detail on the course structure?

View course structure

Location

For start dates, please view the academic calendar.

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2024

Study Block 1
  • On campus

All endeavours are made to ensure location information for courses is up to date but please note they are subject to change.

The University reserves the right to withdraw any unit of study or program which it offers, to impose limitations on enrolment in any unit or program, and/or to vary arrangements for any program.

How to apply

Please review information on how to apply for the campus of your choice

Please note that each campus has different application deadlines. Please view our application deadlines page for further information.

Frequently asked questions

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  • The offering information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.

    The information on this page may be subject to change. In particular, Curtin University may change the content, method or location of delivery or tuition fees of courses.

    While Curtin uses reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided on this page is accurate and up to date, errors and omissions sometimes occur. Curtin makes no warranty, representation or undertaking (expressed or implied) nor does it assume any legal liability (direct or indirect) for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information.

    View courses information disclaimer.

  • Curtin course code: GD-LAWLP
  • CRICOS code: 096301D
  • Last updated on: 28 March 2024

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