Legal Profession Act 2004 Vic

Practitioners should complete a total of ten hours of training each year, with at least one hour of training in each of the four areas. The rules on continuing vocational training applicable to solicitors would also be harmonised as far as possible. In-house training programmes that provide significant intellectual or practical content would also be encouraged. The report recommended that the Commission des services juridiques ask practitioners who have not practised for three years or more to submit a training plan with their application for a training certificate. The plan would specify the professional development that the practitioner must undertake within the first six months of returning to practice, with the practicum certificate subject to completion of the specified training. The new changes are expected to bring Victoria`s legal education system closer to other Australian jurisdictions and ensure a high level of competence among practitioners. Victoria is the only jurisdiction in Australia that has retained items without mandatory training requirements, and so it is particularly important to ensure that Victoria`s current legal education system provides high-quality training that meets national standards. With the transition to a national legal profession, Victoria`s Attorney General, Rob Hulls, commissioned the Legal Education Review Report. The review took into account both the legal education system and continuing professional development opportunities. Recommendations on Legal EducationThe report contains 47 recommendations on the reform of legal education in Victoria.Finally, the Committee recommended that Victoria adopt the Queensland internship system to replace the current article system with minor modifications.

Under the Queensland model, graduates must complete a one-year internship at a law firm or office that operates under the supervision of a practitioner. The report recommended that interns be allowed to complete their internships in private practice, government office, community legal centre or business, and also provided that interns could complete their internship with more than one employer. Interns must be supervised by a practitioner who has held an internship certificate for five years. Internships can also be carried out over a period of two years, provided that the trainee completes the equivalent of twelve months of work. During the articling period, the articling student must also meet the competency standards for entry of lawyers developed by the Law Admissions Advisory Committee and the Australasian Council for Professional Legal Education. The competency standards relate to key practice areas such as: In Queensland, graduates can complete their training in-house at their workplace through an accredited practical legal education provider. or through a combination of internal and external training. Licensing requirements and standards should be comparable across Australia to ensure the integrity of the profession is maintained. To be called to the Victoria Bar, graduates can currently either: Government release is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, 2015.

There are no standards mentioned in this bill.