About LPAB

Vision and goals

The Legal Practitioners Admissions Board (LPAB) aims to support the judiciary, the legal profession, and the public interest by ensuring the integrity of those entering the legal profession, and safeguarding the educational and practical legal training standards of the legal profession.

Who we are – constitution of the board

The Board is a statutory body established under Chapter 7, part 7.5 of the Legal Profession Act 2007 (the Act).

The Board comprises 8 members including:

• 2 solicitors and 2 barristers;
• 1 solicitor nominated by the Queensland Law Society ("the Law Society");
• 1 barrister nominated by the Bar Association of Queensland;
• the Brisbane Registrar of the Supreme Court;
• a person nominated by the Minister.

The Honourable Chief Justice of Queensland appoints the members of the Board, other than the Brisbane registrar and the Minister’s nominee. The members appointed by the Chief Justice must be Australian lawyers of at least 5 years standing. One member is appointed as chairperson of the Board. Members appoint another member as deputy chairperson. Members are appointed for 1 year and may be reappointed.

The Board is accountable to the Honourable Chief Justice of Queensland and the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, The Honourable Ms Shannon Fentiman MP. Its current members are:

• Mr Greg Moroney (Chair)
• Mr Graham Gibson KC
• Mr Michael Copley KC
• Ms Jennifer Sheean 
• Mr Noel Jensen (Deputy Chair)
• Ms Petrina Macpherson
• Ms Philippa Mott, Attorney-General’s nominee
• Ms Julie Steel, Brisbane Supreme Court Registrar (appointed 1 July 2011)

Statutory obligations

The Board is a statutory body for the Financial Accountability Act 2009, the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009, and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982. The Board is also public authority for the purposes of the Right to Information Act 2009, the Information Privacy Act 2009, chapter 3, and the Ombudsman Act 2001.

The Board’s annual reports can be obtained from the Board, at the Law Society website or at the Queensland Parliamentary Library.

What we do – role, responsibilities and powers

Section 39 of the the Act provides that the role of the Board is to help the Supreme Court by making a recommendation about each application for admission.

The Board must consider each application for admission and, in particular, whether or not —

1. the application is made under the admission rules
2. the applicant is eligible for admission under this Act as a legal practitioner
3. the applicant is suitable for admission under this Act as a legal practitioner
4. there are other matters the Supreme Court may consider relevant.

The Board may, by notice to an applicant for admission, require the applicant to provide stated documents and/or information and/or to cooperate with its inquiries. The Board may apply to the Supreme Court for a direction about a matter concerning an application.

A person can apply for a declaration by the Board (or the Supreme Court) about whether a matter relating to the person, including a suitability matter, may affect a current or future application for admission.

The Board, by a member of the Board or by an Australian legal practitioner acting for the Board, is entitled to appear before and be heard by the Supreme Court at a hearing about any application made under the part.

The Board must charge the fee prescribed under a regulation for matters under the part or for matters dealt with in the admission rules.

The Board has the functions provided for under the Act and the Supreme Court (Admission) Rules 2004 (‘the Rules’). The Board has all the powers necessary or convenient for performing its function. The Board may conduct its business in the way it considers appropriate, and it must keep minutes of its meetings and a record of its resolutions approved at a meeting.

The Board has additional functions under the rules; these functions including:

• the approval, in conjunction with the Chief Justice, of academic qualifications and practical legal training requirements as 'approved academic qualifications' and 'approved practical legal training requirements'
• the approval of academic qualifications attained in a foreign country as 'approved academic qualifications' and practical legal training completed in a foreign country as 'approved practical legal training requirements'
• the receipt of specified documentation in support of an application for admission as a lawyer
• the receipt and consideration of objections to admission
• the administration of the supervised traineeship schemes.

Strategic and operational plans

The Board has a four year strategic plan for 2022/2026 and a one year operational plan for 2022/2023. These documents form the basis upon which operational business plans and key performance indicators are formulated and monitored.

Establishment of Internal Audit Committee

In accordance with its legislative discretion under the Act, the Board has resolved not to establish an internal audit committee under the provisions of the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and the Financial and Performance Management Standard 2009.

Stakeholders

The Board has a range of stakeholders including:

• the Queensland judiciary
• the Queensland Government and other Government agencies
• the Queensland and Australian legal profession
• the public
• Queensland and Australian legal profession regulatory bodies
• legal educators and training providers.

The Board is routinely consulted by its stakeholders in relation to a number of issues.

The Board is consulted on a range of issues being considered by the Law Admissions Consultative Committee (the LACC). More information can be obtained from LACC's website.

Bodies established to advise the board

The Board is assisted in its work by the LACC.

The Board reports to the Attorney General and Minister for Justice who consults regularly with members of the community.

Staffing

The Law Society provides administrative support to the Board, including secretariat support. The Board pays the Law Society from fees received by the Board.

The Law Society provides six staff including the Board’s Secretary and Solicitor, one full-time and two part-time administrative staff, one Admissions Solicitor and one Program Compliance Officer. Relevant Law Society staff are accountable to the Board and the Law Society.

Upcoming Board meetings and Admission Dates

There are eight or nine admission ceremonies in Brisbane as well as various admission ceremonies in the regional centres of Cairns, Townsville and Rockhampton. Each admission date in Brisbane is preceded by a Board meeting.

The admission dates in Brisbane can be found on the Supreme Court of Queensland website.

Dates of admission ceremonies in the regional centres should be obtained from the Registrar of the Supreme Court in the relevant centre. Relevant contact details are as follows:

Cairns Supreme Court Registry

Townsville Supreme Court Registry

Rockhampton Supreme Court Registry

Forms, information kits, and publications

The Board publishes information regarding a variety of matters. This information is available from the Law Society website via the following links:

'Approved academic qualifications' and 'Approved practical legal training'

• Queensland Law Schools
• Required study and training

Admission

1. Admission kits for supervised trainees and practical legal training students
2. Admission forms for all categories of applicants
3. Disclosure Guidelines prepared by the LACC

• Admission

Registration of Supervised Traineeship

1. Kit to Register as a Supervised Trainee
2. Supervised Traineeship forms including Notice of Traineeship, Supervisor’s Statement, Former master’s Statement
3. A Summary of the Supervised Traineeship Scheme
4. Supervised Traineeship Diary
5. Supervised Traineeship Plan

• Traineeships

Interstate and New Zealand legal practitioners

1. A Supreme Court Fact sheet 'How Interstate and New Zealand Lawyers register in Queensland'
2. Mutual Recognition Guidelines and Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Guidelines
3. Contact Details Form

• How to become a solicitor

Overseas law graduates and legal practitioners

1. Information and application forms for overseas graduates and practitioners seeking assessment of their overseas academic qualifications and practical legal training
2. Statutory Declaration – Overseas law graduates only (Form 12)
3. LACC – Uniform Principles for Assessing Qualifications of Overseas Applicants for Admission to the Australian Legal Profession

• How to become a solicitor
• Assessment of Overseas Qualifications

Corporate documents

• Annual Report (can also be found at the Queensland Parliamentary Library)
• Privacy Statement of Commitment
• Disclosure Log
• Complaints Management Procedure
• Administrative Access and Amending Personal Information Schemes
• Strategic Plan

Other documents

• List of Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns Supreme Court Registry