Upgrading to a Principal Practising Certificate

As a solicitor you need to hold a principal practising certificate to be:

• a partner in a legal practice or a multi-disciplinary partnership
• a legal practitioner director of an incorporated legal practice
• a sole practitioner
• the principal solicitor of a community legal centre

To obtain an unrestricted principal practising certificate you must satisfy the Practice Management Course requirements, have completed the required period of supervised legal practice and must be covered by professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the Indemnity Rule.

If you have not completed the required period of supervised legal practice but satisfy the other requirements a restricted principal practising certificates may be issued. A restricted principal practising certificate cannot be issued to a sole practitioner.

Limited principal practising certificates are issued to some classes of principals with certain conditions attached (for example, the principal solicitor in a community legal service).