Inherent Requirements
INHERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF LEGAL PRACTICE
What is it like to do this course?
It may be helpful for you to understand a little about what it is like to complete Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. Further information about the course is available in on the course page and we recommend you familiarise yourself with the information there.
What about when I finish my course?
Successfully completing the course is one of three requirements for admission to the legal profession in accordance with the Legal Profession Uniform Admissions Rules. If you are undertaking this course in order to gain a legal practising certificate you must satisfy The Victorian Legal Admissions Board that you have met the Rules; that is, you must have:
- Attained the academic qualifications specified under the Rules
- Satisfactorily completed the practical legal training requirements specified in the Rules
- Be a fit and proper person to be admitted to the Australian legal profession.
For further information, see the Victorian Legal Admissions Board’s ‘Guide for Applicants for admission as an Australian Lawyer’.
Inherent requirement domains
There are three domains of inherent requirements in the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. Some domains have a number of sub-domains.
- Ethical behaviour
- Communication
- Cognition
Inherent requirement statements
- Lawyers are required to know and comply with ethical and legal duties as outlined in a range of standards, rules and codes that govern the profession.
- Students demonstrates:
Students need to demonstrate ethical behaviour in all their dealings with fellow students, College staff, members of the community and members of the legal profession. - Why is ethical behaviour an inherent requirement? Admission to practise law in Australia requires that the person be able to demonstrate that they are a fit and proper person, including but not limited to, an ability to act ethically in professional and personal contexts.
- Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the ethical behaviour requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective ethical behaviour.
- Examples of ways in which ethical behaviour applies to this course
Complying with the Professional Conduct Rules, avoiding conflicts of interest, knowing when to raise ethical problems with others and acting courteously.
This course requires effective, verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
Verbal
Inherent requirement statements
- 1 Effective communication, in English, is essential for lawyers to provide safe, accurate and effective professional advice to clients.
- Students demonstrates:
Students demonstrate effective verbal communication by understanding and responding appropriately to verbal communication; showing sensitivity to individual and/or cultural difference; providing clear verbal instructions appropriate to the situation; giving clear and timely verbal feedback. - Why is verbal communication an inherent requirement? Verbal communication is a primary requirement of the legal profession and lawyers must be able to communicate verbally in a way that displays respect and empathy towards others and provides clear and effective advice/information.
- Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the verbal communication requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective verbal communication.
- Examples of ways in which verbal communication applies to this course
Through oral presentations; in mentor meetings as part of each practice area assessment; and in the workplace experience setting dealing with clients, members of the legal profession and other stakeholders.
Non-verbal
Inherent requirement statements
- Effective non-verbal communication is an important element of work undertaken in the legal profession and must be respectful, appropriate to the context and non-judgemental.
- Students demonstrates:
Students demonstrate effective non-verbal communication by recognising and responding appropriately to behavioural cues; through an awareness of their own behaviours; and with a sensitivity to individual and/or cultural differences. - Why is non-verbal communication an inherent requirement? An ability to effectively read and understand non-verbal cues enables lawyers to build rapport with clients and other stakeholders as part of their professional practise. Likewise, an ability to act and respond in appropriate non-verbal ways including facial expressions, eye contact, personal space, gestures and adhering to time boundaries builds trust and effective working relationships. All effective non-verbal communication requires a sensitivity to individual and/or cultural difference.
- Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the non-verbal communication requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective non-verbal communication.
- Examples of ways in which non-verbal communication applies to this course: recognising and responding appropriately to non-verbal cues in synchronous online sessions, mentor meetings and in face-to-face engagement through workplace experience.
WRitten
Inherent requirement statements
- Effective written communication, in English, is essential for lawyers to provide safe, accurate and effective professional advice to clients.
- Students demonstrates:
Students demonstrate effective written communication through the presentation of clear and concise documentation that employs plain English (and avoids legal jargon), is accurate and error free. - Why is written communication an inherent requirement? The completion of accurate and well-constructed written texts forms a significant part of the assessment tasks for this course and is a fundamental aspect of the work requirements within the legal profession more broadly.
- Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the written communication requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective written communication.
- Examples of ways in which written communication applies to this course
Writing and drafting letters and other legal documents to the required professional standards; compiling accurate client notes; responding in written form to the academic requirements of the course including but not limited to assessment tasks, online discussion forums and the professional reflective journal.
This course requires knowledge of theory and the skills of cognition and literacy.
Knowledge and cognitive skills
Inherent requirement statements
- Consistent application of knowledge and sound cognitive skills are required to ensure the provision of safe, accurate and competent advice in the legal profession.
- Students demonstrates:
Students demonstrate appropriate cognitive skills through a capacity to locate appropriate and relevant information; an ability to analyse information and use this to formulate legal advice and generate solutions and strategies appropriate to the legal and/or professional context. - Why is knowledge and cognitive skills an inherent requirement? The delivery of high quality and effective legal advice and a capacity to act in the client’s best interests requires skill to source, comprehend and apply legal knowledge and professional behaviours relevant to the context.
- Adjustments offered by ACAP to assist students to meet the knowledge and cognitive skills requirement must ensure students demonstrate effective knowledge and cognitive skills.
- Examples of ways in which knowledge and cognitive skills applies to this course
An ability to source, analyse and formulate strategies using appropriate knowledge and facts in response to assessment tasks; applying knowledge and procedure in the workplace experience setting.