College of Law (Australia)

Last updated

The College of Law
0X2A9864.jpg
The College's Headquarters in George St, Sydney.
Address
College of Law (Australia)
570 George St Sydney NSW 2000

Sydney

,
2000

Australia
Coordinates 33°52′27″S151°12′26″E / 33.874040°S 151.207280°E / -33.874040; 151.207280
Information
Funding typePrivate, not-for-profit
Established1974
Founder Law Society of New South Wales
Oversight
ChairmanJoseph Catanzariti AM
PrincipalNeville Carter AM
Staff400
Number of students7,000
Campuses
  • Sydney
  • Melbourne
  • Brisbane
  • Perth
  • Adelaide
  • Auckland
Alumni100,000
Website collaw.edu.au

The College of Law is the school of professional practice for lawyers in Australia and New Zealand. They are also the largest provider of practice-focused legal education in Australasia.

Contents

Since commencing operations in New South Wales in 1974, [1] the organisation has grown to become largest provider of practical legal training (PLT) in Australia and New Zealand. The College claims more than 100,000 graduates, with more than 50,000 of these in New South Wales. In 2016, annual enrolments in the College's award programs in Australia exceeded 5,000. [2]

Courses

In addition to the PLT Program (which is the prerequisite program for practising law in Australia or New Zealand), the College offers the LLM (Applied Law) and other post graduate applied law programs, as well as Continuing Professional Development short courses for lawyers, in the following specialisations: [3]

Structure

A public company limited by guarantee, the College of Law Limited is regulated by the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission. [4] In Australia, the College is a Self-Accrediting Authority recognised by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). [5] In New Zealand, the College is accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, which rated the College "Highly Confident" in its educational performance. [6]

The chief executive officer and principal is Neville Carter AM. The chair of the College of Law Limited is Joseph Catanzariti AM, [7] who is also vice-president of the Fair Work Commission.

History

The College of Law was founded as a subsidiary of the Law Society of New South Wales in 1974. [8] Established as a charitable trust for educational purposes, the College was to provide practical legal training (PLT) to qualify law graduates for admission as lawyers (replacing the former articles of clerkship), as well as continuing legal education for the needs of legal practitioners in New South Wales.

From 1977 to 1995, the College operated as a school within the aegis of the Ku-ring-gai College of Advanced Education, [9] and then as part of the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). At the end of 1995, the College became an autonomous education provider within the evolving higher education regulatory regime of New South Wales.

In 2002, the College was registered as a Higher Education Provider (HEP) and the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (PLT Program) was accredited. In 2005, College was approved as a Higher Education Provider (HEP) for Fee-Help purposes under the Higher Educations Support Act (HESA) 2003. [10]

Branches in Australian state capitals and New Zealand were opened progressively from 2005 onwards.

In 2006, the College introduced the Graduate Diploma of In-house Legal Practice, which was developed in partnership with the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association [11] (now part of the Association of Corporate Counsel [12] ). In 2007, the College had its first master's degree accredited – the Master of Applied Law (Family Law). The Master of Applied Law (Commercial Litigation) was accredited in 2008, and further master's degrees in Wills & Estates, and In-house Practice were added in 2010. The Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution was accredited in 2014.

In 2009, the College separated from the Law Society to become a stand-alone, not-for-profit entity. [13] In December 2015 the College was awarded Self Accrediting Authority (SAA) by the Tertiary Education Quality & Standards Agency (TEQSA). [14]

In 2016, the College established its own research centre, the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI). [15]

Also in 2016, the College established an office in Kuala Lumpur as its Asia headquarters. In November 2017, the College signed an agreement with the Inter-Pacific Bar Association to establish a co-branded master's program. [16] The Master of Laws (Applied Law) in ASEAN+6 Legal Practice commenced in February 2018. [17]

Publications

The College produces a series of textbooks to support its PLT training, known as the Practice Papers, [18] which are self-published. Covering a number of core practice areas, the Practice Papers also serve as practical guides for lawyers in their early years of practice. From 1983 to 1998, the College published The Journal of Professional Legal Education on behalf of the Australian Professional Legal Education Conference. [19]

Notable people

Honorary fellows of the College include Federal Court court justice John Dowsett and former Australian Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juris Doctor</span> Graduate-entry professional degree in law

A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other jurisdictions, such as Australia, Canada, and Hong Kong, offer both the postgraduate JD degree as well as the undergraduate LL.B., BCL, or other qualifying law degree depending on the requirements of the jurisdiction where the person will practice law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legal education</span> Education in topics related to law

Legal education is the education of individuals in the principles, practices, and theory of law. It may be undertaken for several reasons, including to provide the knowledge and skills necessary for admission to legal practice in a particular jurisdiction, to provide a greater breadth of knowledge to those working in other professions such as politics or business, to provide current lawyers with advanced training or greater specialisation, or to update lawyers on recent developments in the law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paralegal</span> Paraprofessional who assists qualified lawyers in their legal work

A paralegal, also known as a legal assistant, or paralegal specialist is a legal professional who performs tasks that require knowledge of legal concepts but not the full expertise of a lawyer with an admission to practice law. The market for paralegals is broad, including consultancies, companies that have legal departments or that perform legislative and regulatory compliance activities in areas such as environment, labor, intellectual property, zoning, and tax. Legal offices and public bodies also have many paralegals in support activities using other titles outside of the standard titles used in the profession. There is a diverse array of work experiences attainable within the paralegal field, ranging between internship, entry-level, associate, junior, mid-senior, and senior level positions.

A Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subjects and jurisprudence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and its function. The LLB curriculum is designed to impart a thorough knowledge of legal principles, legal research skills, and a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of lawyers within society. This degree is often a prerequisite for taking bar exams or qualifying as a practising lawyer, depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, the LLB program also serves as a foundation for further legal education, such as a Master of Laws (LLM) or other postgraduate studies in law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Technology Sydney</span> Public research university in Australia

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public research university located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1988, though its origins as a technical institution can be traced back to the 1870s. UTS is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network (ATN), and is a member of Universities Australia (UA) and the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avondale University</span> College in New South Wales, Australia

Avondale University is an Australian private university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world’s second largest Christian school system. It has two campuses, the Lake Macquarie campus being the primary campus situated in Cooranbong, New South Wales. The other campus is located at Sydney Adventist Hospital in the Sydney suburb of Wahroonga and is the main campus of the nursing school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Qualifications Framework</span> Educational standards organization

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) specifies the standards for educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government's Department of Industry, with oversight from the States and Territories, through the Standing Council of Tertiary Education Skills and Employment. While the AQF specifies the standards, education and training organisations are authorised by accrediting authorities to issue a qualification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian College of Theology</span>

The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is an Australian higher education provider based in Sydney, New South Wales. The college delivers awards in ministry and theology. It is now one of two major consortia of theological colleges in Australia, alongside the University of Divinity. Over 23,000 people have graduated since the foundation of the college. On 7 October 2022 it was granted university college status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Divinity</span> Collegiate university in Australia

The University of Divinity is an Australian collegiate university with a specialised focus in divinity and associated disciplines. It is constituted by twelve theological colleges from seven denominations and three schools. The University of Divinity is the direct successor of the second oldest degree-granting authority in the State of Victoria, the Melbourne College of Divinity. The university's chancery and administration are located in Box Hill, a suburb of Melbourne in the state of Victoria.

The Legal Practice Course (LPC) – also known as the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice – is a postgraduate course and the final educational stage for becoming a solicitor in England, Wales and Australia. The course is designed to provide a bridge between academic study and training in a law firm. It is a one-year, full-time course, and tuition fees range from £8,000-£17,300 a year. A small proportion of students may have their fees and some living expenses paid for by future employers under a training contract.

TheUniversity of Law is a private for-profit university in the United Kingdom, providing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in law, business, psychology, criminology, policing and computer science. It also provides postgraduate courses in education, and specialist legal training and continuing professional development courses for British barristers, solicitors and trainees; it is the United Kingdom's largest law school. It traces its origins to 1876.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Law school</span> Institution specializing in legal education

A law school is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a judge, lawyer, or other legal professional within a given jurisdiction. Depending on the country, legal system, or desired qualifications, the coursework is undertaken at undergraduate, graduate, or both levels.

Continuing legal education (CLE), also known as mandatory or minimum continuing legal education (MCLE) or, in some jurisdictions outside the United States, as continuing professional development, consists of professional education for attorneys that takes place after their initial admission to the bar. Within the United States, U.S. attorneys in many states and territories must complete certain required CLE in order to maintain their U.S. licenses to practice law. Outside the United States, lawyers in various jurisdictions, such as British Columbia in Canada, must also complete certain required CLE. However, some jurisdictions, such as the District of Columbia and Israel, recommend, but do not require, that attorneys complete CLE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tertiary education in Australia</span>

Tertiary education in Australia is formal education beyond high school in Australia, consisting of both government and private institutions and divided into two sectors; Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) provided by government-owned TAFEs & private Registered Training Organisations (RTO). Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), the Australian national education policy, classifies tertiary qualification into 10 levels: level 1 to 4 vocational certificates ; level 5 & 6 undergraduate diploma and advanced diploma; level 6 associate degree; level 7 bachelor degree, level 8 bachelor honours degree & graduate certificates and graduate diplomas; level 9 for master's degree; and level 10 PhD. Most universities are government owned and mostly self-regulated. For other institutes there are two national regulators for tertiary education for registration, recognition and quality assurance of both the "provider institutes" as well as the "individual courses" provided by the providers. Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) regulates institutes which provide education from level 5 or above. Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) regulates institutes which provide education from level 1 to level 6.

Unaccredited institutions of higher education are colleges, trade schools, seminaries, and universities which do not have formal educational accreditation.

Higher education accreditation is a type of quality assurance process under which services and operations of post-secondary educational institutions or programs are evaluated to determine if applicable standards are met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by the agency.

Kaplan Business School is a higher education institution in Australia. The school began offering degrees in 2008, in Adelaide, before expanding to other major cities across Australia.

The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) is Australia's independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Institute of Management Education and Training</span> Australian registered higher education provider

The Australian Institute of Management Education and Training Pty Ltd, commonly known as AIM or AIMET, is an Australian education provider. Its courses include business, management and leadership. AIM offers short courses, nationally accredited qualifications, post-graduate higher education and corporate solutions. Campuses and offices are located in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JMC Academy</span> Entertainment technology academy in Australia

JMC Academy (JMC), founded in 1969, is an Australian multi-campus higher-education institution located in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

References

  1. Blunden, A (June 1987). "A New Course at the New South Wales College of Law" . Journal of Professional Legal Education. 5 (1): 42–54. Retrieved 27 November 2017 via Heinonline.
  2. "2016 Appendix 6 – Private Universities (Table C) and Non-University Higher Education Institutions". Australian Government Department of Education and Training. 11 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  3. "Postgraduate applied law programs". The College of Law. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  4. "The College of Law Limited". Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  5. "The College of Law Limited (formerly TCOL Limited)". teqsa.gov.au. 3 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  6. "Organisations >> NZQA – College of Law New Zealand Limited". New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  7. Kempster, Eleanor (3 May 2017). "Joseph Catanzariti". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  8. "History of The Law Society of New South Wales". The Law Society of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  9. "Farewell Kuring-gai – Issue 13 – Tower – UTS Alumni – Stay Connected". alumni.uts.edu.au. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  10. "Higher Education Support Act 2003". www.legislation.gov.au. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  11. "Our History – ACC Australia". acla.acc.com. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  12. Staff Reporter (4 December 2014). "ACLA to join global network". Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  13. "About the College of Law". The College of Law. 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  14. "The College of Law Awarded Self Accrediting Authority by TEQSA". collaw.edu.au. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  15. Woodhill, Samantha. "College of Law launches innovation hub". Australasian Lawyer. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  16. "Eye on IPBA | 2017 Eye on IPBA | November 2017 :: The Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA)". ipba.org. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  17. "LLM ASEAN+6". collaw.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  18. "LexisNexis Australia – Products". store.lexisnexis.com.au. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.
  19. "The journal of professional legal education. – Version details". Trove. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2017.