As a junior, it can be daunting to speak up and ask what might feel like a silly question, especially if the question is something as simple as: what does that acronym mean???
In a bid to remove that stress from your life, the Future Leaders Committee have put together a list of acronyms which are commonly used in the legal profession, so that you can refer to this list next time you find yourself playing mental gymnastics with an unknown combination of letters.
Hopefully this list can be of some assistance as you find your feet in the profession:
| Acronym | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AAT | Administrative Appeals Tribunal |
| ACCC | Australian Competition and Consumer Commission |
| CL | Australian Consumer Law |
| ADR | Alternative Dispute Resolution |
| AEDT | Australian Eastern Daylight Time |
| AEST | Australian Eastern Standard Time |
| ANOR | Another |
| ASIC | Australian Securities and Investments Commission |
| ASOC | Amended Statement of Claim |
| ATO | Australian Taxation Office |
| ATSILS | Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Legal Service |
| AVL | Audio Visual Link |
| BC | Body Corporate |
| BD | Business Development |
| BIFA | Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 (Qld) |
| BN | Bankruptcy Notice |
| BUP | Building Unit Plan |
| © | Client |
| CCC | Crime and Corruption Commission |
| CLC | Community Legal Centre |
| CLR | Commonwealth Law Reports |
| CMH | Case Management Hearing |
| CMS | Community Management Statement |
| COB | Close of Business |
| CP | Crown Plan |
| CPD | Continuing Professional Development |
| CTS | Community Titles Scheme |
| DCJ | District Court Judge |
| DJAG | Department of Justice and Attorney-General |
| DVO | Domestic Violence Order |
| ECL | Early Career Lawyer |
| EOD | End of Day |
| EOW | End of Week |
| EPCIO | Enter Premises and Commit Indictable Offence |
| EROI | Electronic Record of Interview |
| FASOC | Further Amended Statement of Claim |
| FCA | Federal Court of Australia |
| FCFOA | Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia |
| FF | Fixed Fee |
| FLC | Future Leaders Committee |
| FN | File Note |
| GPI | Guilty Plea Instructions |
| HCA | High Court of Australia |
| HH | His Honour / Her Honour |
| ICLRQ | The Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for the State of Queensland |
| IP | Intellectual Property |
| J | Judge |
| JR | Judicial Registrar |
| JR | Judicial Review |
| KC | King’s Counsel |
| LAQ | Legal Aid Queensland |
| LD | Liquidated Damages |
| LFS | List for Sentence |
| LFT | List for Trial |
| LMTCB/LMTRC | Left message to call back / Left message to return call |
| LTR | Letter |
| MAR | Mention Appearance Required |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| NGI | Not Guilty Instructions |
| OA | Originating Application |
| OBRC | On Bail and in Regular Contact |
| ODPP | Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions |
| ORS | Others |
| OS | Other Side |
| OSS | Other Side Solicitor |
| PAR | Personal Appearance Required |
| PD | Practice Direction |
| PE | Public Examination |
| PE | Court Planning & Environment Court |
| PIPA | Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld) |
| PLT | Practical Legal Training |
| POG | Plea of Guilty |
| PPN | Police Protection Notice |
| PTY LTD | Proprietary Limited |
| QBCC | Queensland Building and Construction Commission |
| QCA | Queensland Court of Appeal |
| QCAT | Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal |
| QDC | Queensland District Court |
| QIRC | Queensland Industrial Relations Commission |
| QLJ | Queensland Law Journal |
| QLR | Queensland Law Reporter |
| QLS | Queensland Law Society |
| QMC | Queensland Magistrates Court |
| QSC | Queensland Supreme Court |
| RCS | Registration Confirmation Statement |
| RIC | Remanded in Custody |
| RP | Registered Plan |
| RTA | Residential Tenancies Authority |
| SHO | Special Hardship Order |
| SJR | Senior Judicial Registrar |
| SMO | Short Minutes of Order |
| SOA | Statement of Affairs |
| SOC | Statement of Claim |
| SP | Survey Plan |
| SRL | Self-Represented Litigant |
| TBA | To be advised |
| TBC | To be confirmed |
| TPO | Temporary Protection Order |
| UCPR | Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) |
| UUMV | Unlawful use of a Motor Vehicle |
| VL | Video Link |
| WH | Watch House |
| WHS | Workplace Health & Safety |
| WIP | Work in Progress (unbilled recorded time) |
Think we’ve missed some? Let us know!
Email your submission to futureleaders@qls.com.au and we’ll update our list.