proudmum

Hi allmy husband is a criminal solicitor in London and we are thinking anout a possible move to NSW,does anyone know what sort of propects there are in this field and what the pay is likely to be?

Thanks.

Olias

I bet I know what he's like...I've met a few solicitors in my time who were right criminals!

Sorry, you left yourself open for that one

kiwi_child

Hi, Get your husband to check out this link. It is the NSW Law Society, the body that governs legal practice in that state.

http://www.lawsociety.com.au/page.asp?partid=66

Famous 5

I'm a commercial/commercial property solicitor so I can't help with job prospects or salary except to say that in my experience job prospects are likely to be better in cities than regional areas and that salaries are significantly lower than London (I practised there before moving here a year ago). But I'm currently going through the process of meeting the requirements to be admitted in QLD, so I can pass on info about getting admitted here.

I think NSW has the most straightforward arrangements for solicitors from England & Wales to be admitted in Oz and there are interstate recognition agreements in place that allow solicitors admitted in one state to be admitted in another.

If your OH has practised as a qualified solicitor for over 5 years then he is likely to be exempt from all the academic requirements, otherwise he would have to study Australian Constitutional Law which can be done through the College of Law in the UK.

http://www.collaw.edu.au/cla/ACL.asp

He would also be exempt from all practical training requirements apart from Professional Responsibility and Trust and Office Accounting. These can be studied online through the College of Law in Australia.

http://www.collaw.edu.au/pp/ec/index.asp

All the admission requirements and application forms/procedures are set out in full on the Legal Profession Admission Board website, link as follows:

http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlin...b_overseasprac

Also, if you are intending getting a visa based on your OH's skills, he will have to be admitted in Oz in order to get a positive skills assessment for your visa application. I didn't bother and came on a visa based on my OH's skills, but it has made it harder to get work (although I've been told that large firms in cities will employ overseas lawyers as paralegals until they are qualified in Oz). Even if you are not applying for a visa based on his skills, I would recommend getting as far as possible with the admission process before you move over here as it would make his position stronger when negotiating salary etc.

If you haven't already done so, you might want to run a search on here for threads about qualifying as a solicitor in Oz and about work prospects for lawyers as there have been a number in the last 6 months or so.

All the best.

Geelong Gent

I think you will find the "family" businesses operate more in melbourne

Plenty of work I would expect......


most likely in defending senior company officials in recent property developer failures. ITS CRIMINAL

micnic

Hi

I am moving to gold Coast in October - Pr granted on husband's skill. I am a solicitor currently specialising in criminal law. I am hoping you can recommend a uni to assess my qualifications. I have e-mailed a few from the list provided by the admissions board but only one has replied and they are not sure they can help because I gained qualification through the legal executive route rather than the traditional degree route.

Any advice you can pass on would be much appreciated.

kiwi_child

I don't think universities actually assess qualifications unless it's in regard to further academic study. There is a national organisation that verifies qualifications. Information is at this link:

http://www.immi.gov.au/asri/os-qual-units.htm

Famous 5

I don't know who you've written to, but I used University of Queensland Law School who dealt with my application very promptly. Perhaps it is worth ringing round the various law schools that the Legal Practioners' Admissions Board use to assess academic qualifications to check whether they can help. If you haven't got Skype already, this could be the time to get it so that you don't spend a fortune on calls.

Following their assessment of my academics (degree, postgrad diploma in law and LPC), UQ stated I needed to take about 12 modules of study in order to satisfy QLD's academic requirements so I'm actually seeking admission through NSW and then I'll apply for interstate recognition. This is apparently very common.

I appreciate that your route to qualification is not so easy for them to assess but it shouldn't be that hard as you are a practising solicitor and you've met all the requirements for admission in England & Wales.

Although it will cost more money it may be worth you getting your qualifications assessed in NSW as well as QLD, then you can choose which one offers you the shortest route to qualification in Oz.

Nicstids

Have you tried Queensland University of Technology (QUT)? I had my skills assessed by UQ initially but you can't study externally there and the courses are more expensive than at QUT. I have the name of a very helpful lady there if you want

Nicstids

That's interesting to hear. I looked into going this route but judging from the stories I've heard about the Admissions Board in QLD (i.e. very unhelpful!) I thought they might oppose the admission of anybody who had never actually practised in NSW but then applied to be admitted in QLD on the basis that they were trying to avoid the more stringent requirements in QLD. Have you spoken to anybody who's gone this route recently?

I have instructed a barrister to advise me on getting admitted in QLD (actually a QC used by somebody else on this forum) and he has said that it would be worth tackling the Admissions Board "head-on" and arguing that I shouldn't have to complete any further academic or practical training. Apparently an English solicitor did this recently and was successful. Initially the Admissions Board opposed her admission but she countered every point they made and the Board backed down. Obviously everybody's circumstances are different though - I have an Oxford Law degree, did the Solicitors Final, qualified in 1989 in England and have worked for 11 months as a paralegal over here.

I'm really hoping that this works as I begrudge spending all that money getting re-qualified over here especially when I'm not earning very much

Famous 5

It does seem to be a real struggle to get admitted in QLD. The current system seems to be a complete contrast to the previous system - I understand that under the old system English solicitors were granted conditional admission in QLD and were then admitted unconditionally after 12 months in practice here. I also find it rather odd that the assessment of academic qualifications is now carried out by the law schools which may, possibly, have a small conflict of interest.

Until now I hadn't heard of people having problems in being admitted in QLD if they had been admitted in NSW but hadn't actually practised there. I know a few people from a few different states (including QLD) who are using the NSW route so we may all be disappointed! It is rather alarming to think that QLD could try to refuse admission on that basis and perhaps I should seek some advice on this point as well. Would you mind sending me a pm with the details of the barrister you've instructed so that I can contact him/her for advice?

Perhaps we should all think of joining together on this!

I hope your attempt is successful. It would nice to be admitted without having to jump through any more hoops!

AussieFlyer

Interesting topic...

Thanks for the links Famous 5, that was what I was looking for as well.

It looks like a very long road to go to Australia via solicitor route, but with the enquires I made It looks like the only module I will have to do (when the time arrives to go to Oz/NSW) is indeed Australian Constitutional Law.

Cheers.
Pedro

PS - I am still doing my law studies and flying, I just hope I don't fry my brain with so much stuff to study, plus a family to take care.

micnic

I would like the name of the lady there please!

Nicstids

Have sent you a PM.

Nicstids

I have to admit I haven't taken advice on the NSW route - I just looked at the application you have to make in QLD and you had to put how long you had practised in NSW, where from etc. I thought that, if you said that you hadn't practised at all, there was scope for the Admissions Board to take issue with your application......

As you say, it would be a good idea to join together on this so we know what stance the Admissions Board are taking on applications. I know that Shine Lawyers have recently recruited another 8 solicitors from the UK so I may pick the brains of my contact there to see how they intend getting their new recruits admitted in QLD.....

Have pmed you with the barrister's details