The Law Society of South Australia: Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

The Law Society of South Australia (“LSSA”) offers a practical legal training program which, following completion, leads to the award of the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (“GDLP”).

The Law Society is a higher education provider accredited by the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (“DFEEST”).

The Legal Practitioners Education and Admissions Council (“LPEAC”), chaired by the Chief Justice, requires that the GDLP Course be presented and assessed in such a way that the Manager (Education) of the Law Society of South Australia is able to certify that each student has reached a level of practical and professional competence appropriate for an entry level legal practitioner in each area of the GDLP Course.

Satisfactory completion of a Practical Legal Training Program (“PLT”) approved by the Legal Practitioners Education and Admissions Council (LPEAC) is a pre-requisite for admission to the Supreme Court of South Australia.  The LSSA’s GDLP Course is recognised as meeting the practical requirements for admission by the LPEAC pursuant to Rule 2.4(b) of the LPEAC Rules. The LPEAC Rules 2004 can be found on the Courts Administration Authority South Australia website at http://www.courts.sa.gov.au/lawyers/index3.html (go to admissions).

The GDLP Education Committee has been established by the Council of the LSSA to undertake designated functions in relation to the GDLP Course. The Committee is chaired by a Judge of the Federal Court.  Other members of the Committee include several Unit Co-ordinators, practising lawyers, a newly admitted practitioner and non voting members namely the Executive Director of the LSSA, the Manager (Education) and the GDLP Course Director.

Each unit within the GDLP is coordinated by a legal practitioner with a minimum of 5 years experience in the relevant field of law and the units are delivered by current legal practitioners, barristers, members of judiciary and other relevant specialists. This enables students to network with members of the profession and ensures the relevancy and currency of the GDLP course.

Senior LSSA staff are responsible for the operation and administration of the GDLP Course. Such responsibility includes day-to-day administrative and curriculum matters assigned to the Manager (Education) and those matters specifically assigned to the GDLP Course Director and other LSSA staff.