NSW Law Graduates
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (PLT)
NSW Law Graduates
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (PLT)
- Built with the legal profession
- Applied learning curriculum
- Personalised support and supervision
- Career-focused with professional engagement
Domestic Fees
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice New South Wales (PLT)
| Total Course Fee (Indicative)* (based on 1.0 EFTSL) $9,785-$12,257 AUD depending on units selected Practical Legal Training Coursework: LLP4217 Coursework (Full Time): $9,270 Workplace Experience A: LLP4213 WP Experience A: $515 Workplace Experience B - select one: LLP4020 WP Experience B - 45 days: $309 LLP4021 WP Experience B - 30 days + 1 practice area: $1,030 LLP4022 WP Experience B - 15 days + 2 practice areas: $1,751 LLP4023 WP Experience B - 0 days + 3 practice areas: $2,472 * The Total Indicative Course Fees are charged against individual units of study which may increase from time to time and does not take into account personal circumstances such as RPL, credit, repeats and some specialised electives. For more information view the ACAP Fees & Payments page. |
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International Fees
Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice New South Wales (PLT)
| Total Course Fee (Indicative)* (based on 1.0 EFTSL) $12,469-$15,619 AUD depending on units selected Practical Legal Training Coursework: LLP4017 Coursework (Full Time): $11,813 LLP4018 Coursework A (Part Time): $5,906 LLP4019 Coursework B (Part Time): $5,906 Workplace Experience A: LLP4013 WP Experience A: $656 Workplace Experience B - select one: LLP4020 WP Experience B - 45 days: $394 LLP4021 WP Experience B - 30 days + 1 practice area: $1,313 LLP4022 WP Experience B - 15 days + 2 practice areas: $2,231 LLP4023 WP Experience B - 0 days + 3 practice areas: $3,150 * The Total Indicative Course Fees are charged against individual units of study which may increase from time to time and does not take into account personal circumstances such as RPL, credit, repeats and some specialised electives. For more information view the ACAP Fees & Payments page. |
View full fee information here
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Overview
ACAP’s Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP) equips law graduates with the skills, knowledge, and professional competencies essential for modern legal practice. Developed with industry expertise and developed in partnership with the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV), the program combines rigorous academic training with practical, workplace-focused learning.
Our GDLP is designed for aspiring legal professionals who want more than just theory. It’s a practice-ready, industry-informed course that ensures you graduate with the confidence, skills and credibility to thrive in supervised legal practice from day one.
- Industry-Backed: Developed in collaboration with leading legal professionals and employers to align with current workplace expectations.
- Supervision Ready: Built around real firm precedents and practical legal training to prepare you for the realities of legal practice.
- Career-Focused: Designed to complement your undergraduate legal education and guide you toward a successful, fulfilling legal career.
Whether you’re starting your legal journey or transitioning into practice, ACAP’s GDLP offers the support, professional edge and real-world you need to succeed.
Gain Real-world Legal Experience
At ACAP, our GDLP is built on authentic, project-based learning that mirrors the realities of legal practice. Through hands-on experiences and insights from seasoned industry professionals, you’ll graduate as a confident, well-rounded legal professional, ready to contribute meaningfully from your first day under supervision.
Our engaging coursework, developed and delivered by legal experts, prepares you to navigate a wide range of professional scenarios. You’ll work with real firm precedents, priority area skills across key areas of practice, and develop efficient legal file and time management strategies. You’ll also gain exposure to emerging legal technologies that enhance workflow and productivity, essential tools for thriving in today’s evolving legal landscape.
Build Career-Ready Skills
As part of your GDLP journey, you’ll complete 15 days of applied in-person workshops structured to strengthen skills and confidence within your practice area, a practical work placement, and engage in professional development activities. Our concentrated, in-person teaching course components delivers core legal skills upfront, so you’re equipped to apply them confidently in your personal and professional environments.
During these applied workshops, you’ll collaborate with supervisors, clients, courts, and legal professionals. You’ll sharpen essential capabilities in client communication, problem-solving, time management, and personal resilience, key attributes for a sustainable legal career and becoming truly Supervision Ready.
WHY CHOOSE THE GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF LEGAL PRACTICE AT ACAP?
WHAT OUR ALUMNI SAY ABOUT ACAP
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
ACAP’s GDLP program combines practical, applicable coursework with professional workplace experience opportunities to nurture confident and career-ready law graduates.
Workplace experience is a compulsory part of all GDLP courses, providing you with an invaluable opportunity to put your skills and knowledge into practice. With support from ACAP, students will secure a professional placement and complete 15 days of workplace training as part of Work Placement A. For Work Experience B, students are responsible for sourcing their own placement to meet the program requirements.
As part of the PLT course, you can tailor your learning through eight practical, hands-on electives that build specialist skills, provide real-world experience, and align studies with your career goals. These include Administrative Law, Banking & Finance, Consumer Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Family Law, Planning & Environmental Law, and Wills & Estates Practice.
In addition to your core coursework units, you’ll have the opportunity to study two elective units of your choice. These electives include banking and finance, criminal law, consumer law, employment and industrial relations, family law, and more.
To successfully complete your ACAP PLT course, you’ll undertake a final component designed to enhance your practical legal skills and knowledge. You can choose between additional workplace experience, a selection of elective coursework, such as Government Law and In-House Counsel, or a combination of both. This flexible structure allows you to tailor your GDLP journey to align with your professional interests and career aspirations.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
for the NSW Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
When you study law and receive your undergraduate law degree, you’re not yet able to legally practice as a lawyer in Australia until you’ve completed postgraduate training.
A Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (also referred to as a Grad Dip Legal Practice or GDLP) is the required qualification for new graduates wanting to practice law in Australia. To receive this qualification, you must complete a PLT course.
Practical Legal Training (PLT) is a mandatory postgraduate training program required to be completed before you’re able to be admitted as a practising lawyer in Australia. The Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP) is the diploma or “award” you’ll receive upon completion of your PLT program.
No – one of the best parts of our GDLP course is that there are no exams. The course has a significant focus on practical training and highly applicable coursework instead of examinations.
ACAP’s GDLP coursework involves a full-time 14-week study commitment, complemented by additional time dedicated to workplace experience and professional engagement.
ACAP’s PLT is delivered through a blended model, combining flexible online study with 15 days of in-person applied workshops. This approach allows students to balance their professional and personal commitments while gaining practical, hands-on experience and academic support throughout the program.
While this isn’t guaranteed, some law firms in Australia choose to cover the costs of their employees’ PLT course. This is at the discretion of each individual law firm.
Potential Careers
Once you graduate from the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (PLT), you will open doors to a range of possible career opportunities. Listed below are a few typical roles you could consider.
- Lawyer
- Consultant
- Senior Manager
Course structure
ACAP’s GDLP course is comprised of the following units:
Coursework
Credit points: 30
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description: This coursework unit includes the following practice areas.
Compulsory:
- Lawyer’s Skills and Values
- Civil Litigation Practice
- Commercial and Corporate Practice
- Property Law Practice
Electives (choose two):
- Administrative Law Practice
- Banking and Finance
- Criminal Law Practice
- Consumer Law Practice
- Employment and Industrial Relations Practice
- Family Law Practice
- Government Law Practice*
- Planning and Environmental Law Practice
- Wills and Estates Practice
Workplace Experience A
Credit points: 6
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description:
Workplace experience is a compulsory part of all GDLP courses and provides students with an important opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired through the GDLP coursework.
Workplace experience A includes support from ACAP to source a host company through our relationship with the LIV and their extensive employer network.
This unit includes the mandatory 15 days of practical work experience.
Workplace Experience B (choose one of the following):
Credit points: 12
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description:
This Workplace Experience B option comprises 45 days of self-organised workplace experience. Any workplace experience must take place at an approved host organisation and with appropriate supervision as per the LACC Standards. You will need to provide evidence of your placement, the activities undertaken and submit a final assessment to meet the requirements of this unit.
Credit points: 12
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description:
This Workplace Experience B option comprises 30 days of self-organised workplace experience and 1 elective practice area coursework component.
Any workplace experience must take place at an approved host organisation and with appropriate supervision as per the LACC Standards. You will need to provide evidence of your placement, the activities undertaken and submit a final assessment to meet the requirements of this unit.
The elective practice area coursework can be selected from any elective not completed as part of the initial GDLP coursework.
Credit points: 12
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description:
This Workplace Experience B option comprises 15 days of self-organised workplace experience and 2 elective practice area coursework components.
Any workplace experience must take place at an approved host organisation and with appropriate supervision as per the LACC Standards. You will need to provide evidence of your placement, the activities undertaken and submit a final assessment to meet the requirements of this unit.
The two elective practice area coursework components can be selected from any elective not completed as part of the initial GDLP coursework.
Credit points: 12
Pre-requisites: None
Unit description:
This Workplace Experience B option comprises 3 elective practice area coursework components. The three elective practice areas can be selected from any elective not completed as part of the initial GDLP coursework.
View unit descriptions
- Developed a depth and breadth of knowledge and skills to analyse critically and apply complex legal concepts, theories, procedures, rules and principles in a professional legal context.
- Demonstrate an ability to work independently and as part of a team to identify and provide solutions to complex issues, taking personal and professional responsibility for ethical actions and outputs.
- Demonstrate an ability to understand client needs, confirm instructions and communicate effective, innovative and responsive solutions in a manner appropriate to the audience.
- Develop a detailed awareness and ability to use a variety of technology applications and digital resources, including new and emerging technologies, in a legal practice.
- Have a knowledge of local, interstate and international jurisdictions and an ability to recognise and be sensitive to cultural differences and a range of perspectives.
ACAP’s GDLP is accredited by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB). Practical Legal Training is one of the prerequisites for admission as set out in the Legal Profession Uniform Admissions Rules 2015. See the VLAB website for a full list of requirements.
Graduates of the GDLP will be able work as a lawyer in Victoria or apply their skills in a range of other professional contexts outside of the law.
Start Your GDLP Journey: What You Need to Know
To graduate with a GDLP qualification, you must complete each of the following four requirements. Prior to enrolment, please consider which of the following combinations best suits your interests and needs.
Week 1 - Foundations
Core skills and professional values, including:
- Ethics and professional responsibility
- Problem-solving and work management
- Business skills
- Legal writing and client interviewing
- Trust accounting
- Wellbeing
Weeks 2, 5 & 8 - Practice Area Application
Apply foundational skills in compulsory practice areas:
- Civil Litigation
- Property Law
- Commercial & Corporate Law
Weeks 11 & 14 - Integration & Capstone
Integrate skills through:
- Simulated file-work
- Workplace scenarios
- Capstone assessments
By the end of the program, students are ready to undertake supervised practice with confidence.
ACAP’s NSW PLT course is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) and TEQSA.