PRACTICAL LEGAL
TRAINING (PLT)
INFORMATION SESSION
2014
UTS:LAW
UTS CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00099F
law.uts.edu.au
PLT INFORMATION SESSION 2014
Faculty Contacts
Student Centre Contacts
Jenny Eggleton
PLT Program Head
Jude Forder
Building 5 Student Centre, Centre Mgr.
UTS: Law PLT Program Academics
Maxine Evers
Jackie Jones
Des Finegan
Monica Langford
Michal Bourvka
Bldg. 5 Student Centre Team Leader
Victoria Vasquez
Faculty Operations Manager
Cadienne Grimshaw
Bldg. 5 Student Centre Team Leader
Monica Reade
Academic Services Manager
Ria Renfrey
Bldg. 5 Student Centre, Team Leader
Rachel Coventry
Acting Student Program
(Practical Experience) Coordinator
Rosemarie Browning
Bldg. 5 Student Centre, Coordinator
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WHAT IS PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING (PLT)?
• Practical Legal Training (PLT) is a compulsory program of study
(the other being an academic qualification, e.g. the LLB or JD) in
order to practise law in NSW.
• Completion of PLT is a requirement of the NSW Legal Profession
Admission Board (LPAB) for admission as a lawyer to the
Supreme Court of New South Wales and by mutual recognition to
the Supreme Courts of other Australian jurisdictions.
• PLT provides students with the key skills and knowledge that form
the Competencies required by the LPAB as the essential base for
legal practice.
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WHY STUDY PLT AT UTS?
• UTS was the first and is the only university provider of PLT
in Sydney.
• ‘One-stop’ legal education for admission to practise law.
• University quality teaching and facilities.
• Study with your UTS peers and meet new students.
• Competitive fees. FEE-HELP available.
• At UTS you can concurrently undertake your Practical Experience
with your PLT coursework subjects.
• Flexible delivery.
• LPAB Accredited.
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WHAT ARE THE PLT SUBJECTS?
• PLT consists of the following subjects:
1. Legal and Professional Skills (75424)
(this subject must be undertaken concurrently with,
or prior to, 75422, 75423 & 75411)
2. Transactional Practice (75422)
3. Litigation & Estate Practice (75423)
4. Practical Experience (PE) (75411)
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TWO NEW LPAB RULES COMMENCE ON 1 JANUARY 2015
1. PLT Commencement Rule
• Affects students wishing to commence their Graduate Certificate
in Professional Legal Practice before completing their LLB
combined degree or JD v2 / v3 degrees.
• It will not affect students doing PLT integrated in their Law
degree, e.g. JDv1, the stand-alone LLB, etc.
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NEW LPAB RULES FROM 2015 (CONT.)
PLT Commencement Rule
A student wishing to commence PLT must have successfully completed
all core Law subjects and have only 1 or 2 electives remaining,
AND
• The student must be enrolled in these 1 or 2 electives concurrently
with commencing PLT.
• Any student wishing to commence PLT with 1 or 2 outstanding
electives must obtain written consent from the LPAB. The student
must make an application through the LPAB at a fee of $70 (current
fee).
The Faculty has added these requirements to the selection criteria of the
Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice.
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NEW LPAB RULES FROM 2015 (CONT.)
2. Stale Learning Clause
• Requires students applying for admission as a lawyer to have
completed both their academic requirements for admission (their LLB
or JD) and their PLT within 5 years of their application for admission.
• Students who have exceeded this five year timeframe for either their
law degree or their PLT will need to have their qualifications assessed
by the LPAB at a fee of $250 (current fee).
• Further information is available on the Faculty’s Stale Learning Clause
webpage, and on the LPAB website.
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PLT AT UTS
The UTS PLT program is currently offered as follows:
UNDERGRADUATE
1. Bachelor of Laws (C10124): Entirely within the stand-alone degree in the final
semester of study.
2. Combined law degree (students who commenced 2012 or earlier): Entirely within
the combined degree.
3. Combined law degree (students who commenced 2013 onward): Completion of
the degree followed by the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice
(C11232).
*Note LPAB “PLT Commencement Rule” from 2015*
POSTGRADUATE
1. Juris Doctor version 1 (students who commenced 2011 or earlier): Entirely within
the stand-alone degree in the final semester of study.
2. Juris Doctor version 2 or 3 (students who commenced 2012 onward): Completion
of the degree followed by the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice
(C11232).
*Note LPAB “PLT Commencement Rule” from 2015*
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PLT AT UTS (CONT.)
PLT General Info –
• PLT may also be undertaken as a stand-alone postgraduate course,
the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (GCPLP)
(C11232), in the final semester of, or following, a combined Law
degree or Juris Doctor version 2 or 3 degree (JD students commenced
2012 onward).
*Note LPAB “PLT Commencement Rule” from 2015*
• PLT must be undertaken after any Exchange study.
• Academic subjects can be taken 0.5 year F/T or 1 year P/T.
• Intake in Summer, Autumn and Spring semesters.
• All subjects are offered every semester.
• On-campus (standard) and off-campus delivery (distance or block)
study modes.
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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 1) STUDENTS
JD version 1 students are those students who commenced their course
2011 or earlier.
In order to be eligible to commence the PLT stream of their course, students
must complete all their core law subjects and the 18 credit points of law
options.
Students who meet these requirements can select the PLT stream
STM90687 from the choice block option CBK90591 and expand the subjects
and enrol into the subjects via My Student Admin. At any time if you are not
able to enrol online submit an e-Request - https://mystudent.uts.edu.au/
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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 2 OR 3) STUDENTS & COMBINED UG
STUDENTS COMMENCED 2013 ONWARD: GCPLP
JD version 2 or 3 students are those students who commenced their
course 2012 or later.
Students who wish to complete their academic and practical legal
requirements and who do not have PLT in their academic course are able to
apply for admission into the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal
Practice (C11232) to complete their PLT requirements.
UTS students can enrol in the Graduate Certificate in their final semester of
law provided they have no more than 2 electives remaining to complete,
subject to the LPAB “PLT Commencement Rule” from 2015.
This course is also open to Law graduates external to UTS.
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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 2 OR 3) STUDENTS & COMBINED UG
STUDENTS COMMENCED 2013 ONWARD: GCPLP (CONT.)
This Graduate Certificate course comprises the following subjects:
NOTE: University law graduates may apply for credit recognition for the 6 credit
point Law Option Elective, and, once granted, would only complete the
remaining 3 subjects + Practical Experience, to attain the Graduate Certificate.
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UG STUDENTS: LLB AND LLB COMBINED
COMMENCED 2012 OR EARLIER
In order to be eligible to commence the PLT stream of their course, students
must complete all their core law subjects and the 18 credit points of law
options.
LLB students who commenced an undergraduate law degree with us in
2008 or after must also have completed 48 credit points of either general
electives or law electives.
LLB Combined degree students who commenced 2008 or later must also
have completed 48 credit points of the other discipline before commencing
PLT.
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UG STUDENTS: LLB AND LLB COMBINED
COMMENCED 2012 OR EARLIER (CONT.)
Students who meet these requirements can select the PLT stream
STM90687 from the choice block option CBK90591 and expand the subjects
and enrol into the subjects via My Student Admin. At any time if you are not
able to enrol online submit an e-Request - https://mystudent.uts.edu.au/
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MODES OF STUDY
Students may choose their preferred mode of delivery on a subject-bysubject basis.
PLT is offered by on-campus (standard) and off-campus delivery
(distance or block). Block off-campus is defined as off-campus study with
some limited compulsory on-campus attendance.
• The PLT program gives students the opportunity to work individually
and in groups with deadlines set by Co-ordinators.
• UTSOnline enables students to work in an interactive study
environment.
• Students must have access to a computer with an internet connection
that is capable of handling large files. It is highly recommended that
students considering off-campus PLT have regular and unrestricted
access to the Internet.
• Transactional Practice is offered via on- and off-campus mode
(distance); Legal & Professional Skills and Litigation & Estate Practice
are offered via on- and off-campus (block mode).
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MODES OF STUDY FAQ’S
Is distance study harder than on-campus?
Depends on the type of learner you are - you need to be an independent learner
to succeed at off campus study.
Are assessments the same in both delivery modes?
For the most part, yes. Where on-campus students have seminar presentation
requirements, distance students will be assessed on participation in online
discussion groups, etc.
As an off campus student, do I have to attend on-campus intensives?
Yes you will be required to attend face-to-face instruction and assessment for the
subjects, Legal & Professional Skills, and Litigation & Estate Practice.
Can I undertake off campus PLT subjects while overseas?
Yes, as long as you have access to the Internet & attend the on-campus
intensives.
If I am an off campus student do I have to come into UTS to undertake the
formal subject examinations?
If you reside in Sydney then yes you are required to attend the formal
examination for Transactional Practice at UTS. If you will be based outside
Sydney, you can apply to undertake the examination for this subject at an
external location.
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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411
•
Practical Experience (PE) is a 0 credit point subject and is a
component of the PLT Program. It is a compulsory requirement of
the LPAB.
•
PE requires every student undertaking the Practical Legal
Training program to complete 16 weeks (80 days at a maximum
of 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday) of practical experience
with an approved Supervisor.
•
A maximum of 10 weeks (50 days) of work experience may be
undertaken in the 18 months prior to the commencement of
studies in the semester in which students are actively enrolled in
the subject Practical Experience (75411).
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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.)
•
When enrolling in Legal and Professional Skills, you may also
enrol in Practical Experience.
•
Students have 2.5 years from the semester that their enrolment in
Practical Experience commences to complete all 16 weeks (80
days) of their approved placement. For example, if a student
enrols in Practical Experience in Autumn 2015, they have 2.5
years from Autumn 2015 to complete this subject. Failure to do
so will result in a fail grade recorded against the subject.
•
NOTE: the 2.5 years refers to domestic students. International
students please contact the Student Program (Practical
Experience) Coordinator.
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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.)
•
For assessment of accrual of practical experience:
• Full time study in the PLT program is considered more than 18
credit points. Full time students (on- and off-campus) can accrue
up to 14 hours of practical experience per week while undertaking
the academic component of the course. (Monday to Friday only,
maximum 7 hours per day)
•
Part–time (18cp or less) students (on- and off-campus) can accrue
up to 35 hours of practical experience per week while undertaking
the academic component of the course (Monday to Friday only,
maximum 7 hours per day).
• For enquiries Law.PE@uts.edu.au
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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.)
For more information:
•
Practical Experience Rules
•
Form 1 (“Application for Practical Experience Placement Approval”)
•
Form 2 (“Notification of Completion of Practical Experience Placement Supervisor’s Report”)
 Introduction to Practitioner Supervisors.
All forms are accessible online at: http://www.uts.edu.au/currentstudents/current-students-information-faculty-law/practical-legaltraining-plt/practical#practical-experience-rules
NB: PE forms must be submitted in original to the UTS:Law Student
Programs Coordinator by COB the Friday prior to each PE Committee
Meeting.
A list of 2015 PEC meeting dates will be made available on the UTS:Law
website at http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/current-studentsinformation-faculty-law/practical-legal-training-plt/practical-0 in November.
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SUMMER SESSION 2014/2015
We will offer PLT in Summer in off-campus/block mode only with only
2 compulsory attendance days and optional workshops.
Students may elect to undertake any or all of the following subjects
provided you meet progression requirements:
75424 Legal and Professional Skills
75423 Litigation and Estate Practice
75422 Transactional Practice
75411 Practical Experience
Enrolment for Summer session 2015 opens 7/10/14.
Dates for assessments and compulsory attendance
requirements available online via the UTS:Law current students
information page.
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HOW TO APPLY TO THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN
PROFESSIONAL LEGAL PRACTICE
UTS students submit a Direct Application Form available from the
Haymarket Student Centre (free to apply for UTS students).
Students from other Universities can apply via the Universities
Admission Centre (UAC) at any time or attend a UTS:LAW
Postgraduate Information Evening and submit a direct application.
(UAC application fee $62 and no fee for direct applications submitted
at PG Information Evening).
Application Deadlines:
•
Applications for 2015 Summer session close 31 October 2014
•
Applications for 2015 Autumn semester close 31 January 2015
•
Applications for 2015 Spring Semester close 30 June 2015
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Q&A
If you require detailed advice specific to your needs,
please contact the Haymarket Student Centre:
Block C, Level 1 (just near the Art of Food Café)
Phone: 1300ASKUTS
Email: http://ask.uts.edu.au
QUESTIONS???
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