micnic

Calling all lawyers who have transferred from England and been admitted to the Supreme Court in Queensland.

Having had your qualifications assessed by a University, what additional subjects are required and how long does the process take?

How comparable are the salaries for lawyers in Queensland.

I currently specialise as a Criminal Law Advocate. Any ideas of the opportunities around Brisbane.

Does Queensland have Police station duty rotas (serviced by private practice lawyers). I know there is a court duty solicitor but can find no mention of a police station rota.

Any assistance would be most appreciated.

Nicstids

I need to look into this shortly as I have got a job as a paralegal in Toowoomba Queensland starting in February next year and the firm who've offered me the job are leaving it up to me whether I re-qualify or not. I spoke to an English solicitor when I was out there and he had had to do 8 (!) subjects. He did it by distance learning in a year and said that it was just about the most tedious and frustrating year of his life! Deep joy! He is now training as a psychologist! The agency who got me the job did say though that, if I re-qualified, I could expect to earn the same as I am currently in the UK so it may be worth the effort....

I'm afraid that I don't know much about criminal law over there as I'm a Civil Litigator and will be doing PI over there.

What visa are you planning to apply for?

micnic

Husband is a glazier and so he will be applying. I am in no rush to work (!) so do have time to requalify if I choose. Did consider paralegal work but only have experience (many years) in crime, think it would be difficult to get job. How did you manage to line up job before you get there? Tell me to mind my own business, but what sort of income bracket are paralegals in over there?

Do you know the provider for the distance learning courses?

Queensland Law Society have not been particularly helpful.

Nicstids

We went out to validate our visas last month and I went to a general (rather than specialist legal) employment agency in Toowoomba - www.abbertons.com.au. Spoke to a girl there on the Monday who said that she could get me a job the next day. Yeah right I thought! Had 2 interviews that week and on Friday I got a job!! Could have knocked me down with a feather as I thought that I would really struggle to get anything without re-qualifying. The agency did say though that firms in smaller places such as Toowoomba struggle to retain people as everybody wants the bright lights of Brisbane. Working fulltime as a paralegal in Toowoomba you're looking at $40-45K - I expect that this would be more in Brissie.

I'm pretty sure that he had done his course at the University of Queensland. You may find this link helpful
http://www.law.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=1737&pid=31878

Have you contacted the Legal Practitioners Admssions Board? They are quite helpful. Their email is [email protected]

Hope that helps. As I said, I still need to get my qualifications assessed but I finish work at the end of October and we don't fly out til January so will do it then

micnic

thanks for the links. Will check them out. Salaries not as low as I anticipated. This is very encouraging. Actually, no not that encouraging as did think I might be able to blag hubby into me staying home to look after our children! Looks like I will be put out to work again!

Can only imagine what it must feel like to know you have only a matter of months left in this bleak country. Oct to January sounds a long time but will undoubtedly fly by. Good luck with everything.

Add a post if when you do start requalifying - let me know if it's too much like hard work!

Nicstids

I know what you mean - I expected my hubby to be the one to walk into a job, not me! I was thinking of doing something completely different in Aus- didn't know what though, so looks like I'll be staying in the law for the moment. I am only working 3 days a week though which will be lovely as I've worked full time since our son was 3 months old (He's nearly 10 now!)

Good luck with your plans too. I am getting really excited now - before we went out to validate I was having a few wobbles but can't wait now

micnic

Likewise, back to work when 1st daughter 4 months, then another daughter and back at same time. eldest starts school in september. I often wonder where the time goes.

3 days sounds perfect - enough time to keep on top of things at work and lead an adult life yet enough time to enjoy the children. Perhaps I will look for something like this.

I see you are from the South? Are you close to my location?

Nicstids

Yup. We're in Fareham although I work in Winchester. Used to work for Addison Madden (as it then was) in Hampshire Terrace Portsmouth a few years back

micnic

Quite a small world really! I work at Biscoes in Southsea.

Were you at AM at same time as Sophie (crime and civil) and Catherine (family) ?

Do you go to the meets - think last one was only a short time ago at the farmhouse pub, Eastern Road.?

Nicstids

Have sent you a pm

Atticus

Hi guys

Havent been on for a while as no net access and busy working! Im Scottish trained but I know an English trained solicitor has also been trying to get admitted - both of us have been trying after the changes in Queensland admissions rules - Nic was pretty luck to get assessed prior to the changes (lucky woman!).

What I can tell you from our experiences are as follows :-

Queensland:-

After my skills were assessed $250 fee, I was told I would have to study three subjects Aus constitutional, admin (and I cant remember the third!) anyway I thought thats not too bad - but that was just for the academic side and then they are split into 5 units which are $900 a pop! I was then told that I would also have to comply with practical requirements which involved either a 1 year PLEAT course (sort of a legal diploma) which isnt cheap approx $9000 but not sure of exact price (not much use am I!) OR 1 years articles - I say bugger that! so I tried NSW!

NSW

After skills were assessed $250 fee (at least their consistent) where they then told me I had to do three subjects as above broken down into 4 units as for my practical requirements I had to do 8 of the god knows how many subjects from the PLEAT course - but hey didnt have to do the whole course - again I say bugger that!

So after speaking to a barrister who had helped another guy out he advised that I should first try all the other states - at least phone them before paying them for assessments, find out exactly what their requirements are and then try and get it. Basically if you are admitted in one state you can be admitted in another without need for further courses. So tried all the other states and might have struck lucky with Tasmania.

Tasmania

Just submitted my qualifications and details of legal experience for assessment cost $250 they are meeting at the end of the month so wont know till then but the Secretary of the Board did tell me that they normally expect a "UK" trained solicitor to only do 2 to 3 subjects and then they are admitted - I dont have to do the courses in Tasmania and I dont need to do a 1 year course or articles - well not yet anyway - watch this space!!!

If the above fails, Im going to apply for admission in Queensland anyway as they are going through a transitional period with their legislative changes so Im hoping something might come of this - will obviously have to pay a barrister to help me should I need it and at the end of day I might still not get admitted but will try and throw myself at their mercy!!

So between going ahead anyway for admisison in QLD or going through Tasmania - Tasmania as it stands at present is cheaper option and I might still fail getting admitted if I were to go down QLD route - but I like a challenge!

So hope I havent bored you too much and really hope some of the above is of some use to you.

PS almost forgot - got a job within a week of actively looking and they are willing to come to some agreement (whether full payment or partial) to help me get admitted - there are numerous poms working at the firm Im with, they seem to like our qualifications and experience and are a nice bunch to work for - its PI work = which I havent done in more than 10 years so I wouldnt worry about lack of experience in a specific area - presently working as paralegal and they would be interested in promoting me (depending on when I get admitted). I used a lovely lady at a company called LegalEase - really helpful and she has experience of English and Scottish lawyers trying to get admitted so she is clued up on the legalities always answered my numerous emails (and I really mean numerous) within hours, seconds even at least it felt like that to me!! her email contact is:lglease [at] bigpond [dot] net [dot] au - can definitely recommend her just for being nice not to mention very helpful.

regards

atticus

JAJ

Legal admission for UK solicitors seems to be a nightmare in the majority of states. One thing you could check out is what hoops Australian solicitors need to go through to get admitted in the UK.

If they get an 'easy ride' by comparison maybe it's time for the Law Society to change that. And if the process is just as hard in reverse, then it's probably time for the law societies to sit down and work out some sensible mutual recognition rules, as other professions (such as engineers and accountants) have done.

Jeremy

finsbury

Hi Micnic

Regarding legal work in Brisbane, there are several legal recruitment agencies that look for paralegal and qualified lawyers. I know Legal Eagles provide temp paralegals for the DPP. It's supposed to be a good foot in the door but the money is shocking. Although I know friends who have started there and used that as a way of securing a law officer job in QLD government. Of which there are many and not all require you to be admitted in Queensland. That's the route I was going to take but something else came up. Not too sure about private practice as it's not my area.

Here's three agencies who's usefulness are ranked in ascending order. I'd say Legal Eagles are the most respected in Brisbane.

http://www.legal-eagles.com.au/
http://www.legalandcorporate.com.au/brisbane/
http://www.focusrecruitment.com.au/

I'm considering going down the route of qualifying but not until next year. Want to check a few things out before I make a final decision. In the meantime, good luck with your search.

finsbury

Hi Jeremy

My partner is an Australian solicitor who worked in London for several years and I was amazed at the fact that there were no hoops to get through in terms of admission. All you have to do is declare yourself as 'an Australian qualified solicitor' to your clients and that's it! You can then go on to do most of the work, and receive all of the salary, of a qualified solicitor but without having to go through the hassle of being admitted to the rolls. You don't have rights of audience so you can't appear in court but that seems to be about the only distinction.

I was surprised that the Law Society put up with it but I suspect that it's really driven by market forces and the big city firms. It allows the big firms to get people relatively quickly and cheaply, flog them for a few years and everyone goes home happy. Even from my limited experience I can safely say that our Australian counterparts are not so flexible. But then again you haven't got the huge amount work, vast amounts of money and large number of big firms in Australia so there just isn't the same scope of demand as there is in the UK and London in particular. And London is in competition with New York, Paris etc. so the Law Society probably sees an advantage of being able to get talented, young Australian solicitors much easier than their international rivals.

So all in all, I wouldn't hold my breath that either the English or Australian state law societies will be making any changes soon as it suits the powers that be. Even though it is out of kilter and definitely unfair on those travelling South compared to those travelling North.

JAJ

But doesn't the same thing apply if an Australian employer is happy to hire an "English qualified solicitor"?

I recall seeing (at least a number of years ago) ads in the legal supplements of UK newspapers from Australian law firms looking for English lawyers.

How many Australian lawyers actually seek admission in the UK and how easy or hard is it for them in comparison?

Jeremy