CAN YOU USE YOUR CURRENT LEGAL JOB AS PLT WORK EXPERIENCE?
CAN YOU USE YOUR CURRENT LEGAL JOB AS PLT WORK EXPERIENCE?
Already working in a legal job? Good news — your current or past legal role might count towards your Practical Legal Training (PLT) placement, as long as it meets certain requirements. Here's what counts, how to get it approved, and how many days you can claim.
HOW MUCH WORK CAN I COUNT?
You can use eligible legal work you’ve done in the two years before starting your PLT to count towards your 75-day work experience requirement.
If you’re choosing the 75-day option:
- Up to 60 days can be from your current or past legal work.
- At least 15 days must be completed during or after your PLT coursework.
To count, your work must:
- Be completed within two years before your PLT start date.
- Meet the College of Law Work Experience Rules.
- Be supervised by an eligible legal practitioner.
- Be supported by the required approval and documentation.
WHAT LEGAL JOBS AND TASKS ARE ELIGIBLE?
Your role must involve delivering legal services under appropriate supervision.
Common examples include:
- Paralegal or law clerk roles in private practice, government, or corporate in-house teams.
- Volunteering at a community legal centre.
- Working as a judge’s associate or tribunal research assistant.
- Assisting a barrister in chambers.
- Legal policy and drafting work in government or corporate legal teams.
Typical tasks might include:
- Meeting and advising clients.
- Conducting legal research and analysis.
- Drafting legal documents and correspondence.
- Managing files, deadlines, and compliance obligations.
- Handling professional responsibility requirements such as conflict checks and cost
HOW TO GET YOUR JOB APPROVED
If you want to use your current or previous role as part of your PLT placement:
- Check the Work Experience Rules to make sure your work meets all criteria.
- Get your supervisor’s approval using the College’s Work Experience Approval Form.
- Submit the form early, ideally before you start your placement, or as soon as possible.
- If the work is already completed, you can submit it retrospectively, as long as it’s within the two-year limit and meets all requirements.
CAN I GET APPROVAL BEFORE ENROLLING?
Yes, you can send us your paperwork before you enrol. We’ll keep it on file for you, and there’s no obligation to proceed with enrolment — it simply means you’ll know in advance if your work will be approved.
WORK EXPRERIENCE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can start your work experience up to 2 years before beginning your PLT.
You will need to complete at least 15 days work experience in Australia after starting the PLT program and accrued at a minimum rate of 2 days per week.
You can undertake the remainder of your work experience before, during or after you begin the PLT program
You can accrue up to 60 days work experience in the two years prior to starting your Practical Legal Training.
To be eligible, your work experience must comply with the Work Experience Rules. In short, your work experience:
- Must occur in the delivery of legal services
- Must be under the supervision of an appropriate supervisor
- May be undertaken in one or multiple placements
- May include experience undertaken as an undergraduate (but such experience cannot be used to satisfy the entire placement).
To count towards your PLT, your work experience must:
- Occur in the delivery of legal services
- Be under the supervision of an appropriate supervisor
- Comply with the work experience rules
You can find out if your work experience can count towards your PLT by submitting an Application for Approval Form to support@collaw.edu.au
This form can be submitted before you enrol at the College of Law, and we’ll keep a record of your work experience.
You can find all the forms you need below:
Guide for Students
Guide for Supervisors (WA version)
Work Experience Rules
Application for Approval Form
Declaration Form
Remote Supervision Diary
Journal
Clinical Experience Module Enrolment Form
Just click the links to access what you need!
Yes. If you are completing work experience remotely, you will need to complete the Work Experience Remote Supervision Diary.
Your work experience must still comply with the Work Experience Rules.
Work experience undertaken before you begin your PLT program can count towards some, but not all, of your PLT work experience.
All students need to complete 15 days’ work experience after beginning their PLT program.
If you’re completing the 75-days work experience option, the remaining 60 days work experience can be undertaken in the 2 years prior to starting your PLT program.
A person can be your work experience supervisor if they are an Australian legal practitioner and are currently practising and:
- hold a full practising certificate as a legal practitioner;
- hold a restricted practising certificate as a legal practitioner which they have held for 2 years;
- are a judge;
- are a tribunal member who is a legal practitioner; or
- are a person who does not hold a practising certificate but is eligible to do so and who provides acceptable written submission to satisfy the Committee they can provide appropriate practical experience.
Information about the role of supervisors can be found in the Work Experience Guide for Supervisors (Western Australia version).
The College of Law does not guarantee work experience placements for students.
If you enrol in the College’s PLT program, you will have access to one-on-one career consultations with a Careers Advisor for guidance on finding work and planning your career.
You can also visit the College of Law's Jobs Board to view and apply for opportunities for law graduates.
If you’re completing the 15-days or 25-days work experience options, you can begin the additional online course:
- Full-time PLT students: At the end of your coursework
- Part-time PLT students: From week 16 of your coursework
College students on unpaid approved work experience placements are insured for personal injury and civil liability.
You can request a copy of our Certificates from support@collaw.edu.au
WORK EXPERIENCE GUIDE FOR STUDENTS
BOTTOM LINE
If your current role involves real legal work under a qualified lawyer, there’s a good chance it can count towards your PLT placement. It’s a great way to tick off this requirement without taking extra time away from your job.
TURN YOUR LEGAL EXPERIENCE INTO YOUR NEXT BIG STEP
See how PLT fits around your experience, builds your skills, and gets you practice-ready.
