• oral and written communication
• advocacy
• interviewing
• drafting
• negotiating
• problem solving,
• managing work and time, and
• resilience.

You will learn:

• communicating effectively
• interviewing clients
• writing and drafting
• negotiation and early dispute resolution
• representing clients in court
• problem solving
• managing risks for clients
• managing time and workload, and
• maintaining wellbeing in practice.

You will complete interactive workshops facilitated by experienced lawyers in which you will have the opportunity to role play interviews, negotiation and courtroom appearances. You will learn how to approach client problems, draft written communications and documents, manage risk, and work effectively in your legal workplace. You will have opportunities to apply and practise these skills throughout the course.

• be familiar with the values that are significant to the legal profession, and
• know and understand the legal rules regulating the profession.

You will learn:

Beyond mere knowledge of the rules you will develop the skills to identify and respond appropriately to ethical dilemmas.

• strategies and techniques to help to reduce the prospect of a disciplinary complaint being brought against you
• how to respond professionally if a complaint is made
• the confidence to voice ethical concerns in practice, and
• how to maintain trust and general account records according to law and good practice.

Civil litigation is a process of resolving disputes between parties. Civil litigation includes:

• any interactions between disputing parties prior to proceedings being commenced, such as letters of demand
• the initiation and defence of proceedings in courts or other tribunals
• pre-trial procedures such as interlocutory applications
• court and tribunal appearances
• alternative avenues of dispute resolution such as negotiation, mediation and arbitration, and
• post-trial procedures such as costs recovery and the enforcement of judgments.

You will learn how to:

• assess the merits of a case and identify dispute resolution alternatives
• advise on costs of litigation
• initiate and respond to claims
• take and respond to interlocutory and default proceedings
• gather and present evidence
• negotiate settlements, and
• take action to enforce orders and settlement agreements.

You will cover the law, court rules and practice that apply in civil litigation. This will enable you to:

• advise clients on appropriate strategies to resolve disputes, and
• conduct litigation for clients in a timely and cost-effective manner

• leasing
• mortgaging, and
• planning and revenue.

• identify and transfer title/property and prepare a contract for sale for a vendor
• advise on a contract and investigate and transfer title from a purchaser’s perspective
• advise on leases
• advise on creating and releasing securities
• advise on land use, and
• advise on revenue issues.

• the sale and purchase of business assets
• setting up business structures
• advising upon finance and securities, and
• identifying revenue implications of commercial transactions.

You will learn how to:

• Conduct the sale and purchase of a small business
• identify the risks for both parties in a transaction
• set up simple business structures such as companies, trusts and partnerships
• provide basic advice on finance and securities and the obligations of companies and their officers, and
• identify revenue implications of commercial transactions and the need for further advice.

• one system deriving from the common law and leading only to a judicial review, and
• the other system being a legislative review system of administrative decisions made under an enactment, enabling persons affected by these decisions to apply for a merits review or a judicial review.

You will learn how to:

• identify whether an administrative decision can be reviewed
• identify and interpret the legislation under which the decision was made
• conclude which review process will be the most appropriate
• advise the client about the alternative means of obtaining a review
• identify whether freedom of information legislation applies to the client’s situation and what steps are needed to obtain the information
• prepare a matter for review, and
• represent a client effectively at a review hearing.

Criminal law practice covers the law, rules, practices and procedures that apply in criminal matters. The focus is on how to advise clients before and after arrest and charge and on appearing for clients in court on a bail application, a plea and sentencing matter and a short defended hearing.

You will learn how to:

• provide advice in criminal law matters
• apply for bail
• make pleas, and
• prepare cases for trial and representing clients in minor contested matters.

Family law practice involves advising clients about ways to resolve issues that arise from the breakdown of their relationship and about various dispute resolution processes and the courts.

This subject deals with law and practice in parenting, financial, child support and spouse maintenance matters.

You will learn how to:

• assess the merits of a case and identifying dispute resolution alternatives
• advise on costs of litigation
• initiate and respond to claims
• take and respond to interlocutory and default proceedings
• gather and present evidence
• negotiate settlements, and
• take action to enforce orders and settlement agreements.

You will cover the law, court rules and practice that apply in civil litigation, which will enable you to advise clients on appropriate strategies to resolve disputes, and to conduct litigation for clients in a timely and cost-effective manner

In this subject, you will see how consumer protection provisions work in practice. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) states that “[c]onsumer law is important for the efficient functioning of markets; it encourages consumers to shop with confidence, and enables businesses to compete fairly without rogue businesses being rewarded for using underhanded or misleading tactics.”

• Consumer protection provisions prohibit:
• misleading or deceptive conduct
• unconscionable conduct, and
• unfair contracts and commercial practices.

The provisions also regulate specific consumer transactions and make it illegal to distribute unsafe goods and related services.

You will learn how to:

• conduct a consumer law file and advise the client on relevant law and procedure in a consumer law matter
• recognise situations in which consumer law applies
• identify relevant legislation, courts, tribunals and other bodies at federal and state level
• advise a client on the appropriate jurisdiction
• advise the client as to which remedies may be available
• initiate or respond to a consumer claim
• draft all documents in the relevant jurisdiction
• represent a client effectively in any negotiation, mediation or hearing, and
• document settlement effectively.

• advising clients about matters arising from employment relationships
• advising clients on the relevant law and procedures, and
• resolving disputes about employment and industrial relations matters through the court system or by using alternative dispute resolution processes.

Employment and industrial law may be regulated by federal or state legislation or may be governed by common law.

• advise clients in employment law matters
• identify the relevant law and procedures
• act in proceedings arising from termination of employment
• represent clients in dispute resolution processes, and
• document and enforce settlements.

Planning and environmental law practice involves advising clients and resolving disputes in planning and environmental law matters through the court system or in alternative dispute resolution processes.

This subject covers the fundamental processes, including:

• identifying the appropriate jurisdiction to resolve disputes
• acting in applications, and
• conducting dispute resolution procedures.

You will learn how to:

• assess the merits of a planning and environmental matter and advise the client accordingly
• prepare a planning application or objections
• initiate or respond to a planning and environmental claim
• represent a client in resolving a planning matter or an environmental claim, and
• implement outcomes of any planning or environmental matter, including documenting, and carrying into effect any orders or settlement of a matter.

• a testator in making their own will
• an executor in administering an estate
• a beneficiary under a will
• a lawyer acting for a client who wants to make a will, or
• a lawyer acting for a client who is the executor or administrator of a deceased estate.

You will learn how to:

• take instructions, draft and advise on wills
• obtain grants of probate and letters of administration, and
• administer deceased estates.

This subject is an introduction to the world of banking and finance practice. You will learn about and apply the law to some practical lending transactions. Banking and finance practice involves:

• advising clients about common ways of financing commercial transactions
• drafting loan and security documents, and
• completing commercial transactions.

You will learn how to:

• conduct preliminary investigations
• plan and document financial arrangements
• undertake due diligence, and
• finalise the transaction.

Practical Legal Training is not like university, it’s 100% hands-on. The workshops are interactive and require your participation, so they are mandatory.

If you cannot attend a workshop session, you can submit a special consideration request to support@collaw.edu.au.

In some circumstances, it may be possible to attend the workshop later. We cannot guarantee that your special consideration will be approved, and we may recommend that you enrol in a later intake.

No, there are no other required attendance dates besides the workshops.

You will complete a File Review online at the end of each subject. The review lasts up to 40 minutes, and you can choose a time from a list of available appointments.

There are no lectures, classes, tutorials, or anything like that.

The best way to learn how to be a lawyer, is completing tasks just like the ones you’ll be tackling on the job, and that's what you will spend your time doing.

You can transfer between PLT programs. If you transfer or defer after the census date, a fee will apply.

When enrolling, be realistic about the time you can commit to studying and select a program that offers the pace that best fits your lifestyle.

Part-time - The is a part-time, flexible option that allows you to set your own schedule, committing your 15-17 hours per week to the times that work best for you.

Full-time - For those who are able to commit to full-time study. Full-time immersive courses are 30-35 hours per week.