Bar Practice Course Policy

Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) section 50 (1) (a)

1) No person shall be accepted into the Bar Practice Course until he or she has passed all the NSW Bar Examination, to the standard and according to the requirements as applicable under the current examinations policy of the Bar Council. 

2) In order to be permitted to participate in the Bar Practice Course, a candidate must have passed the NSW Bar Examination within a period of 15 months prior to the commencement of the course in question. Applications for extensions of examination currency beyond that period should be addressed to the Director, Professional Development and should include at least:

      a) An explanation of the reasons why the Bar Practice Course has not been or will not be undertaken during the usual period of currency; and

      b) Evidence that the applicant has maintained up to date knowledge of each of the matters examined in the Bar Exam throughout the period of deferral.

3) In order to complete satisfactorily the Bar Practice Course a reader must, to the satisfaction of the Course Director and Director, Professional Development: 

a) Punctually attend all sessions in the Bar Practice Course unless exempted or excused by prior arrangement. 

b) Satisfactorily prepare written material, as prescribed during the course. 

c) Satisfactorily prepare and present applications before the court for each of the practical sessions. 

d) Satisfactorily conduct a series of discrete short hearings. 

e) Satisfactorily perform an examination in chief of a witness and a cross examination of a witness in the advocacy sessions. 

f) Satisfactorily conduct conferences with witnesses for the purposes of the final trial. 

g) Satisfactorily prepare and present a case for hearing at the final trial.  

4) Where the reader has failed satisfactorily to complete the Bar Practice Course the reader will be required to: 

a) Complete such further assessment or assessments as prescribed by the Course Director and Director, Professional Development; and/or 

b) Undertake all, or part, of the next Bar Practice Course. 

5) The Bar Council may dispense with, or relieve against, compliance with any of the foregoing requirements, in whole or in part, either before or after the occasion for compliance arises. 

6) FURTHER RESOLVED that the Bar Council delegate to the Executive Director the authority to act on behalf of the Bar Council, in consultation with the members of the Bar Council Executive and the Education Committee as the Executive Director believes appropriate, in respect of the matters noted above.