Uniform Admission Rules changes to Schedule 1

​24 April 2017

Legal Profession Uniform Admission Amendment (Academic Areas of Knowledge) Rule 2017

Rule 5(1) of the Admission Rules specifies the academic qualifications prerequisite for people seeking admission to the legal profession in NSW and Victoria. This includes acquiring and demonstrating competence in the academic areas of knowledge set out in Schedule 1 or "otherwise determined by the Admissions Committee after consulting with each of the Boards".

During 2016, following extensive consultations, the Law Admissions Consultative Committee and every Australian Admitting Authority (including the Admission Boards in NSW and Victoria) resolved to alter the previous descriptions of Civil Procedure and Evidence that applied in all jurisdictions. The Legal Services Council Admissions Committee similarly determined to make the same alterations pursuant to rule 5(1)(c), in December 2016.

As the changes have now been made in all Australian jurisdictions, the Legal Services Council determined that Schedule 1 should be amended to reflect the changes that have already come into effect.  Accordingly, the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Amendment (Academic Areas of Knowledge) Rule 2017 was made on 20 April 2017 and published on the NSW Legislation website​ on 24 April 2017.

The particular changes are:

• In clause 11 the title 'Civil Procedure' has been changed to 'Civil Dispute Resolution'. A new topic 12 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' was added; and Topic 13 was altered to read, 'Obligations of Parties and Practitioners Relating to the Resolution of Disputes'.
• Clause 12 was revised in ways that appropriately describe topics that can apply both to jurisdictions which adopted the Uniform Evidence Act and to those which continue to apply the common law.​