UOW's Legal Practice Course turns 10

Feb 13, 2007

This year the Legal Practice Course offered by the Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The University awards the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice [GDLP] to students who successfully complete the Legal Practice Course [LPC]. Law graduates must complete the LPC if they wish to apply to the Supreme Court for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW. The LCP is also open to UOW students in their final year of their law degree and to law graduates from other institutions.

The Faculty of Law introduced the LPC in 1997 especially to cater for the pre-admission training of UOW law graduates. Since the LPC was accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board, it has provided pre-admission training to over 600 law graduates.

The original LPC was designed by Professor Ainslie Lamb, who was also the foundation Director and has been developed by Professor Lamb, the present Director of the Legal Practice Course, Ian McCall, and Faculty of Law lecturer, John Littrich.

The UOW Legal Practice Course is unique in that it was the first course of its type in Australia to offer recognition of prior skills training and professional experience and flexibility combining on and off-campus training.

It was designed as an alternative course offering more flexibility for students with employment, family and financial responsibilities. It also offered those living in country areas to remain there if they preferred. Other legal practice courses followed the lead of the UOW course.

"During the course, you will need to demonstrate your competence to enter legal practice by dealing properly with ethical issues," said Mr McCall in his welcome to students on the opening day of the Autumn Session Legal Practice Course this month.

"You will also need to recognise the legal and non-legal dimensions of clients' problems, drafting documents and letters clearly and without legal jargon, explaining, advising and presenting arguments and managing your time. The staff in the Course can help you achieve these goals."

The local legal profession, which has rendered invaluable assistance to the LPC since its inception, was represented by the President of the Wollongong and District Law Society, Tim Horsley.

"The Legal Practice Course is an important part of your career in the law," he said during his address to the students. "The local profession recognises the benefits of the course clinical placement program and values the opportunity to assist your learning by participating in the end of course individual assessment sessions."

Some of the additional features of the course include:

• emphasis on developing legal skills and strategic frameworks that graduates can apply in a wide range of legal practice areas
• integration of coursework and professional experience
• allowing students to maintain current employment or undertake a voluntary placement during the course
• offering students flexibility in the program through a combination of on and off-campus activities
• a strong component of on-line learning and assessment, allowing students to access learning material on-line and to submit most course assignments on-line.