UTS:LAW UTS CRICOS PROVIDER CODE: 00099F

PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING (PLT) INFORMATION SESSION 2015

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PLT INFORMATION SESSION 2015

Faculty Contacts Student Centre Contacts

Bronwyn Olliffe Jude Forder Associate Dean (Education) & Building 5 Student Centre, Centre Mgr Acting PLT Program Head UTS: Law PLT Program Academics Michal Bourvka Maxine Evers Jackie Jones Bldg. 5 Student Centre Team Leader Des Finegan Monica Langford

Victoria Vasquez Cadienne Grimshaw Faculty Operations Manager Bldg. 5 Student Centre Team Leader Monica Reade Ria Renfrey Academic Services Manager Bldg. 5 Student Centre, Team Leader Alexa Dodd Rosemarie Browning Student Program / PE Coordinator Bldg. 5 Student Centre, Coordinator

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WHAT IS PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING (PLT)?

• Practical Legal Training (PLT) is a compulsory program of study (the other being an academic qualification, e.g. the LLB or JD) in order to practise law in NSW.

• Completion of PLT is a requirement of the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and by mutual recognition to the Supreme Courts of other Australian jurisdictions.

• PLT provides students with the key skills and knowledge that form the Competencies required by the LPAB as the essential base for legal practice.

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WHY STUDY PLT AT UTS?

• UTS was the first and is the only university provider of PLT in Sydney.

• ‘One-stop’ legal education for admission to practise law.

• University quality teaching and facilities.

• Study with your UTS peers and meet new students.

• Competitive fees. FEE-HELP available.

• At UTS you can concurrently undertake your Practical Experience with your PLT coursework subjects.

• Flexible delivery.

• LPAB Accredited.

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WHAT ARE THE PLT SUBJECTS?

PLT consists of the following subjects:

1. Legal and Professional Skills (75424) (this subject must be undertaken concurrently with, or prior to, 75422, 75423 & 75411)

2. Transactional Practice (75422)

3. Litigation & Estate Practice (75423)

4. Practical Experience (PE) (75411)

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TWO NEW LPAB RULES COMMENCE ON 1 JANUARY 2015

1. PLT Commencement Rule

• Affects students wishing to commence their Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice before completing their LLB combined degree or JD v2 / v3 degrees.

• It will not affect students doing PLT integrated in their Law degree, e.g. JDv1, the stand-alone LLB, etc.

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NEW LPAB RULES FROM 2015 (CONT.)

PLT Commencement Rule A student wishing to commence PLT must have successfully completed all core Law subjects and have only 1 or 2 electives remaining, AND

• The student must be enrolled in these 1 or 2 electives concurrently with commencing PLT.

• Any student wishing to commence PLT with 1 or 2 outstanding electives must obtain written consent from the LPAB. The student must make an application through the LPAB at a fee of $70 (current fee).

The Faculty has added these requirements to the selection criteria of the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice.

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NEW LPAB RULES FROM 2015 (CONT.)

2. Stale Learning Clause

• Requires students applying for admission as a lawyer to have completed both their academic requirements for admission (their LLB or JD) and their PLT within 5 years of their application for admission.

• Students who have exceeded this five year timeframe for either their law degree or their PLT will need to have their qualifications assessed by the LPAB at a fee of $250 (current fee).

• Further information is available on the LPAB website.

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PLT AT UTS The UTS PLT program is currently offered as follows:

UNDERGRADUATE

1. Bachelor of Laws (C10124): Entirely within the stand-alone degree in the final semester of study.

2. Combined law degree (students who commenced 2012 or earlier): Entirely within the combined degree.

3. Combined law degree (students who commenced 2013 onward): Completion of the degree followed by the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).

POSTGRADUATE

1. Juris Doctor version 1 (students who commenced 2011 or earlier): Entirely within the stand-alone degree in the final semester of study.

2. Juris Doctor version 2 or 3 (students who commenced 2012 onward): Completion of the degree followed by the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232).

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PLT AT UTS (CONT.) PLT General Info –

• PLT may also be undertaken as a stand-alone postgraduate course, the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (GCPLP) (C11232), in the final semester of, or following, a combined Law degree or Juris Doctor version 2 or 3 degree (JD students commenced 2012 onward).

• PLT must be undertaken after any Exchange study.

• Academic subjects can be taken 0.5 year F/T or 1 year P/T.

• Intake in Summer, Autumn and Spring semesters.

• All subjects are offered every semester.

• PLT subjects can be taken either via on-campus or off-campus (distance) modes.

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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 1) STUDENTS

JD version 1 students are those students who commenced their course 2011 or earlier.

In order to be eligible to commence the PLT stream of their course, students must complete all their core law subjects and the 18 credit points of law options. Students who meet these requirements can select the PLT stream STM90687 from the choice block option CBK90591 and expand the subjects and enrol into the subjects via My Student Admin. At any time if you are not able to enrol online submit an e-Request - https://mystudent.uts.edu.au/

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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 2 OR 3) STUDENTS & COMBINED UG STUDENTS COMMENCED 2013 ONWARD: GCPLP

JD version 2 or 3 students are those students who commenced their course 2012 or later.

Students who wish to complete their academic and practical legal requirements and who do not have PLT in their academic course are able to apply for admission into the Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice (C11232) to complete their PLT requirements.

UTS students can enrol in the Graduate Certificate in their final semester of law provided they have no more than 2 electives remaining to complete, subject to the LPAB “PLT Commencement Rule” from 2015.

This course is also open to Law graduates external to UTS.

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JURIS DOCTOR (VERSION 2 OR 3) STUDENTS & COMBINED UG STUDENTS COMMENCED 2013 ONWARD: GCPLP (CONT.)

This Graduate Certificate course comprises the following subjects:

NOTE: University law graduates receive automatic credit recognition for the 6 credit point Law Option Elective, and only complete the remaining 3 subjects + Practical Experience, to attain the Graduate Certificate.

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UG STUDENTS: LLB AND LLB COMBINED COMMENCED 2012 OR EARLIER In order to be eligible to commence the PLT stream of their course, students must complete all their core law subjects and the 18 credit points of law options.

LLB students who commenced an undergraduate law degree with us in 2008 or after must also have completed 48 credit points of either general electives or law electives.

LLB Combined degree students who commenced 2008 or later must also have completed 48 credit points of the other discipline before commencing PLT.

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UG STUDENTS: LLB AND LLB COMBINED COMMENCED 2012 OR EARLIER (CONT.)

Students who meet these requirements can select the PLT stream STM90687 from the choice block option CBK90591 and expand the subjects and enrol into the subjects via My Student Admin. At any time if you are not able to enrol online submit an e-Request - https://mystudent.uts.edu.au/

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MODES OF STUDY Students may choose their preferred mode of delivery on a subject-by-subject basis.

PLT is offered by on-campus (standard) and off-campus delivery (distance or block). Block off-campus is defined as off-campus study with some limited compulsory on-campus attendance. • The PLT program gives students the opportunity to work individually

and in groups with deadlines set by Co-ordinators.

• UTSOnline enables students to work in an interactive study environment.

• Students must have access to a computer with an internet connection that is capable of handling large files. It is highly recommended that students considering off-campus PLT have regular and unrestricted access to the Internet.

• Transactional Practice is offered via on- and off-campus mode (distance); Legal & Professional Skills and Litigation & Estate Practice are offered via on- and off-campus (block mode).

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MODES OF STUDY FAQS Is distance study harder than on-campus? Depends on the type of learner you are - you need to be an independent learner to succeed at off campus study.

Are assessments the same in both delivery modes? For the most part, yes. Where on-campus students have seminar presentation requirements, distance students will be assessed on participation in online discussion groups, etc.

As an off campus student, do I have to attend on-campus intensives? Yes you will be required to attend face-to-face instruction and assessment for the subjects, Legal & Professional Skills, and Litigation & Estate Practice.

Can I undertake off campus PLT subjects while overseas? Yes, as long as you have access to the Internet & attend the compulsory on-campus attendance .

If I am an off campus student do I have to come into UTS to undertake the formal subject examinations? If you reside in Sydney then yes you are required to attend the formal examination for Transactional Practice at UTS. If you will be based outside Sydney, you can apply to undertake the examination for this subject at an external location.

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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411

• Practical Experience (PE) is a 0 credit point subject and is a component of the PLT Program. It is a compulsory requirement of the LPAB. (You also are unable to graduate from UTS until this subject has been completed)

• PE requires every student undertaking the Practical Legal Training program to complete 16 weeks (80 days at a maximum of 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday) of practical experience with an approved Supervisor.

• A maximum of 10 weeks (50 days) of work experience may be undertaken in the 18 months prior to the commencement of studies in the semester in which students are actively enrolled in the subject Practical Experience (75411).

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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.)

• When enrolling in Legal and Professional Skills, you may also enrol in Practical Experience.

• Students have 2.5 years from the semester that their enrolment in Practical Experience commences to complete all 16 weeks (80 days) of their approved placement. For example, if a student enrols in Practical Experience in Autumn 2015, they have 2.5 years from Autumn 2015 to complete this subject. Failure to do so will result in a fail grade recorded against the subject.

• NOTE: the 2.5 years refers to domestic students. International students please contact the Student Program (Practical Experience) Coordinator.

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• For assessment of accrual of practical experience:

• Full time study in the PLT program is considered more than 18 credit points. Full time students (on- and off-campus) can accrue up to 14 hours of practical experience per week while undertaking the academic component of the course. (Monday to Friday only, maximum 7 hours per day)

• Part–time (18cp or less) students (on- and off-campus) can accrue up to 35 hours of practical experience per week while undertaking the academic component of the course (Monday to Friday only, maximum 7 hours per day).

• For enquiries Law.PE@uts.edu.au

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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.)

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PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE – 75411 (CONT.) For more information:

• Practical Experience Rules

• Form 1 (“Application for Practical Experience Placement Approval”)

• Form 2 (“Notification of Completion of Practical Experience Placement - Supervisor’s Report”)

Introduction to Practitioner Supervisors.

All forms are accessible on the UTS:Law website (accessible here).

NB: PE forms must be submitted in original to the UTS:Law Student Programs Coordinator by COB the Wednesday prior to each PE Committee Meeting.

A list of 2016 PEC meeting dates will be made available on the UTS:Law website (accessible here) in November ‘15.

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SUMMER SESSION 2015/2016 We will offer PLT in Summer in off-campus/block mode only with only 2 compulsory attendance days and optional workshops. Students may elect to undertake any or all of the following subjects provided you meet progression requirements: 75424 Legal and Professional Skills

75423 Litigation and Estate Practice

75422 Transactional Practice

75411 Practical Experience Enrolment for Summer session 2015/16 opens 6/10/15. Dates for assessments and compulsory attendance requirements for summer session will be available online closer to the end of the year.

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HOW TO APPLY

UTS Students • submit a Direct Application Form available from the Haymarket

Student Centre (free to apply for UTS students).

• No academic transcript required

Students from other Universities: • By attending a UTS:LAW Postgraduate Information Evening

and submit a direct application at no charge

• Need to bring an original transcript or certified copy • via the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) (UAC application fee $62)

• No transcript required, UAC will access your results electronically

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APPLICATION DEADLINES

Spring semester 2015 (begins Monday 27 July 2015)

• Applications currently open

• Applications close 30 June 2015

Summer session 2015-2016 (begins Monday 30 November 2015)

• Applications open 3 September 2015

• Applications close 30 October 2015

Autumn semester 2016 (begins Monday 7 March 2016)

• Applications open 3 September 2015

• Applications close 29 January 2016

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Q&A

If you require detailed advice specific to your needs, please contact the Haymarket Student Centre: Block C, Level 1 (just near the Art of Food Café) Phone: 1300ASKUTS Email: http://ask.uts.edu.au QUESTIONS???

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