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June 04, 2024, 09:41:31 pm

Author Topic: How long to become barrister?  (Read 2234 times)  Share 

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gibsonaxxxs

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How long to become barrister?
« on: March 04, 2012, 12:11:27 pm »
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Yeah, basically, just wondering, how long does it take to become a barrister once you graduate??? :D
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Re: How long to become barrister?
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2012, 11:59:23 pm »
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Once you graduate from your law degree?

As far as I know, after receiving your law degree, you need to do one of two things: sit a Practical Legal Training course (either Leo Cussens or College of Law - each take around 6 months, I believe), or have experience in the legal profession for at least a year. These both have their benefits, as a Leo Cussens or College of Law courses are basically mock practical training AS a solicitor (you get an office, have mock briefs, conduct mock trials - there's even a mock post office, I hear), but at the same time, you don't have any potential employment resulting from the course (you also make connections through both Leo Cussens and College of Law, through your peers, but there's nothing like a tight-knit law firm to keep the heart warm); practical experience in the legal profession usually involves working as a paralegal at a law firm of your choice - this is probably most beneficial if the law firm is willing to keep you around after you are admitted to practice. After doing one of these two things, you can be admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria, and then you're officially a solicitor.

After being admitted, you have to sign the Bar roll and sit an examination. Four months later, you sit a 3 month Reader's Course, which is basically practical training and essential elements of being a barrister - ethics, rules, skills, advocacy and other stuff. You also have to do a 'sort-of' apprenticeship ('reading' or 'pupillage' as it's so called) with a Barrister that has atleast ten years' standing. This takes seven months. However, both of these are pretty much done concurrently, equalling nine months (you start the second half of this on the last month of the Reader's Course.

After that, you can be admitted as a Barrister.

Here are some helpful links if you still need them:

http://www.vicbar.com.au/about-us/how-to-become-a-barrister           
http://www.vicbar.com.au/about-us/about-barristers
http://www.lawadmissions.vic.gov.au/