Practical Legal Training (PLT)
Welcome to Australia’s Leading PLT Program
One Program. Three Learning Modes.
OnlineAvailable Nationally | BlendedVIC, WA, ACT, QLD, SA | OnsiteVIC |
Duration20 Weeks Learning ModeOnline learning Immersive Workshops10 days via video conferencing | Duration20 Weeks Learning ModeOnline learning Immersive Workshops10 days onsite learning | Duration20 Weeks Learning Mode2 days per week onsite Immersive Workshops10 days onsite learning |
OnlineAvailable nationally | BlendedVIC, WA, ACT, QLD, SA |
Duration30 Weeks Learning ModeOnline learning Immersive Workshops10 days via video conferencing | Duration30 Weeks Learning ModeOnline learning Immersive Workshops10 days onsite learning |
What you’ll learn & how
Watch this short video to understand more.
Discover more about our PLT
This is how it works:
Throughout each rotation, you will be supported by a mentor, who is a practising lawyer, providing personalised coaching to help you develop the skills and values necessary for reflective practice. In addition to mentoring you, they’ll also serve as your supervising lawyer during the rotations. In this role they will guide you through each client file, offering hands-on experience and insights.
While completing your PLT at Leo Cussen, you’ll progress through rotations that simulate the experience of a graduate in a law firm. Here’s a brief overview of each rotation:
Induction: This rotation helps you transition from university to legal work. You’ll be introduced to the key skills you’ll need to develop as a new lawyer, become familiar with the course structure, the pathway to admission, and the legal profession you’re about to join.
Transactions: In this rotation, you will handle client files in the Property Law and Commercial and Corporate practice areas, gaining hands-on experience in these essential fields.
Specialist: Here, you’ll choose two practice areas to specialise in. Options include:
- Administrative Law
- Banking & Finance
- Consumer Law
- Criminal Law
- Employment Law
- Family Law
- Planning & Environment (VIC, NSW, QLD only)
- Wills & Estates
Disputes: During this rotation, you’ll work in our simulated law practice environment acting for a business navigating a disputed agreement, get experience appearing in court and represent your client at a negotiation. It’s just like real work but in a learning setting.
Profession Ready: This final rotation is where you draw together all your skills, ready to commence your legal career.
Each rotation is crafted to build on your skills and provide a comprehensive understanding of various aspects of legal practice.
In Blended, Online and Onsite programs, you will participate in three key ‘Immersives’ throughout the program. Each immersive is a multi-day, face-to-face learning block where you will interact with mentors and fellow graduates. These immersive sessions occur during the Induction, Specialist, and Profession Ready rotations.
For the Blended and Onsite programs, these immersives are conducted in person at the designated locations. For the Online program, immersives are held virtually via video conferencing.
Why Choose Leo Cussen?
Our Mentors
J.D, BDSc, GradCert (Arts), Cert IV TAE Australian Legal Practitioner
BSc, JD, GDLP, Australian Legal Practitioner
LLB, LLM, PgDip, GDLP Australian Legal Practitioner
LLB, BSc, GDipArts(Crim) Australian Legal Practitioner
LLB, BA, GDLP Australian Legal Practitioner
BA, LLB, MBus
BJuris, LLB, Australian Legal Practitioner
BJuris, LLB, Australian Legal Practitioner
BA, LLB, Dip Acting
BComm, LLB, LLM
MBA, Cert IV TAE Australian Legal Practitioner Accredited Mental Health First Aid Instructor
Australian Legal Practitioner
LLB (Hons), GDLP
BComm (Hons), LLB (Hons)
Australian Legal Practitioner
Choosing a Practical Legal Training (PLT) provider is a crucial step in launching your legal career. Check out our latest article on what to look for in a PLT and how Leo Cussen measures up.
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Testimonials
For more than 50 years Leo Cussen has been delivering quality legal education. We’ve built a reputation of excellence and we’re proud to see our grads go on to achieve great things. Here’s what some of them said about PLT at Leo Cussen.
Get the skills and confidence you need to start a career in law with Leo Cussen's Practical Legal Training programs available throughout Australia.
Kickstart your legal career confidently through Leo Cussen’s Practical Legal Training (PLT) program, available to aspiring lawyers across Australia. As a leading national provider of Practical Legal Training, Leo Cussen will give you the essential skills and knowledge to succeed in the legal profession, no matter where you are.
Our complete PLT program connects what you learn in school with real-world legal work. Led by experienced legal professionals, you’ll do practical exercises, work on real case studies, and practice simulations to get ready for the challenges of the legal field.
Leo Cussen’s Practical Legal Training (PLT) program offers flexible study options. You can choose to study full-time or part-time, either onsite or online. This flexibility allows you to balance your studies with other commitments, making starting your legal career in any part of Australia easier.
Our experienced mentors will help you develop important skills for communicating with clients and presenting cases in court. You will also receive support from seasoned legal recruiters to improve your job prospects nationwide.
Leo Cussen has been providing legal education for over 50 years. Graduates consistently feel well-prepared and confident as they start their legal careers. Leo Cussen prepares students for the legal profession throughout Australia.
You will have access to a strong network of successful alums and valuable industry connections by choosing Leo Cussen. This will open up diverse career opportunities for you across the country.
Invest in your future with Leo Cussen’s Practical Legal Training and gain the skills, experience, and confidence to succeed. Enrol today and take the first step towards launching your legal career anywhere in Australia.
FAQ's
It’s normal to have questions about PLT and we’re here to help you make the right choice.
Check out some FAQs below to learn more about PLT at Leo Cussen.
Leo Cussen’s PLT course can be completed full-time or part-time.
Full-time PLT takes 20 weeks plus professional placement.
Part-time PLT takes 30 weeks plus professional placement.
Professional placement runs for 15 days and there are options to complete this concurrently with your PLT coursework
Yes – in most cases, completing a PLT (or equivalent course) is a compulsory step before seeking admission as a legal practitioner.
PLT is generally started after you’ve completed your degree, or in some cases, beforehand, when you only have two elective subjects left to do in your studies.
Most students start the PLT after completing their legal qualification at university. However in some jurisdictions you may be able to commence the PLT if you have no more than two elective subjects left to do in your studies.
The course qualifies you with a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP) and eligibility to apply for Admission to the legal profession in any Australian state or territory.
For our Blended and Online courses, there are 10 face-to-face training days (called ‘immersives’). There are 4 immersive days at the beginning of the course, 3 in the middle and 3 at the end.
These days can be attended via video conferencing (for the Online course) or in-person (for the Blended course).
For our onsite courses, there are two days of in-person attendance each week for the duration of the course, as well as 10 face-to-face immersive days.
The attendance days are mandatory and scheduled on specific dates. For attendance dates, please see the Dates and Fees page.
If you are unable to attend a date due to illness or extenuating circumstances, we will work with you to organise a catch-up day.
The requirement for professional placment is 15 days and can be completed during or after your PLT course (or 20 days for Western Australia).
If you need help securing a professional placement, Leo Cussen can organise your placement for you. There is an admin fee which is built into the course fee, and can be included in FEE-HELP.
Yes. The Australian legal profession allows for mutual recognition of admission across all Australian states and territories. If you complete our PLT course in one state/territory, there are pathways to practise law in all other states/territories.
Yes. Students without access to FEE-HELP can apply for a payment plan.
In our PLT, you’ll learn how to become a lawyer by working in a simulated law firm under the supervision of lawyers. You’ll work on mock files based on real cases. And you’ll learn how to apply what you learned at law school to a real-world setting.
This means you will essentially be treated as a first-year lawyer, and given tasks that reflect the real-world of legal practice.
The cases and files you work on will include:
- Property transaction: you will sell or buy residential property
- Commercial transaction: you will sell or buy a business
- Civil Litigation: you will represent a plaintiff or defendant in a breach of contract case
You will also choose two of the following electives:
- Administrative law, Family law, Consumer law, Criminal law, Employment law, Planning/Environment law, Wills/Estates law, or Banking/Finance law.
Through running those matters, you will develop skills in areas such as advocacy, negotiation, drafting and client interviewing – all the key skills that employers look for when hiring graduates.
You will also complete a 15-day (20-day in WA) placement in a real legal setting.
No, there are no tests or exams in the Leo Cussen PLT.
Our PLT reflects real-life legal practice. So you’ll only do tasks that lawyers would do. Instead of assessments, we provide meaningful feedback on your simulated legal tasks, and give you an opportunity to resubmit if needed. No more exam pressure!
PLT is the application of a graduate’s theoretical knowledge acquired during their law degree into a real-world setting through a structured training program. PLT is undertaken after you have completed your law degree, as it allows you to further develop certain skills that will be indispensable when you are working in the legal profession. It is imperative that you have completed all of the requirements of your LLB or JD from an approved law school before beginning PLT.
However, it is possible to begin PLT before you have officially completed your degree, provided you have no more than two elective subjects left to complete. However, you must have completed all of your compulsory ‘Priestley 11’ subjects. Also, if you’re a law student who has a summer school subject or a supplementary exam where the results will not be available until after the course commences, you are eligible to enrol in the PLT and commence your practical legal training. For students wishing to do this, you must make a Concurrent Study Application to the admitting authority in your state ,such as the Victorian Legal Admissions Board or the WA Legal Practice Board for approval to commence PLT before completion of your law degree, and evidence of approval must be provided to the PLT provider before your course begins.
In terms of residency status, international students are eligible to complete their PLT requirements in Australia. If you have graduated in law from an approved Australian university, you will be eligible for either the onsite or online PLT at Leo Cussen depending on your visa type and individual circumstances (although please note that due to current COVID-19 restrictions, all PLT will be conducted online. We will update our website and policies when this restriction changes).
As part of the PLT, graduates will practice the many tasks that lawyers carry out in legal offices by running cases and files in a simulated law firm setting. This means you will essentially be treated as a first-year lawyer, and given tasks that reflect the real-world of legal practice.
The cases and files you work on will include:
- Property transaction: you will sell or buy residential property
- Commercial transaction: you will sell or buy a business
- Civil Litigation: you will represent a plaintiff or defendant in a breach of contract case
- Criminal Charge: You will defend a client accused of theft
You will also get to choose the following electives:
- Elective one: choose between Administrative law or Family law
- Elective two: choose between Consumer, Employment, Planning/Environment, Wills/Estates, or Banking/Finance law
Through running those matters, you will develop skills in areas such as advocacy, negotiation, drafting and client interviewing – all the key skills that employers look for when hiring graduates
The final stage of PLT involves professional placement in a legal practice, where you will have a further opportunity to improve your legal skills. Once the above have been successfully completed, graduates will be awarded a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP). This allows you to apply for admission through your state’s Admitting Authority, after which you will obtain a practising certificate and complete a period of supervised practice.
As you can see from the above, PLT is a challenging but also thoroughly satisfying experience, which will get you ‘job ready’ for your first role as a lawyer. Leo Cussen is here to ensure that your PLT experience is as rewarding as possible for you.
Yes, there are pathways for international students to complete our Practical Legal Training course.
Leo Cussen has a dedicated International Student team to guide you through the process for completing the PLT and getting admitted. Assistance can be provided in areas such as:
- Visa guidance & support
- Options to complete the course online or onsite
- Quicker pathways to admission for some international students
- Support services, including referrals to migration lawyers
- Tailored career advice
- Access to flexible payment plans
- Pathways for students with law degrees from Australia or overseas
Yes, Leo Cussen is accredited across the nation as a local PLT provider, so completing our program makes you eligible for admission to the legal profession in your state or territory. See below for details of our approval in your specific state or territory:
ACT – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Legal Practitioners Admission Board of the ACT as an authorised local provider of PLT in the Australian Capital Territory.
NSW – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW as an authorised local provider of PLT in New South Wales.
NT – Leo Cussen’s PLT is accredited in the Northern Territory by the Legal Practitioner Admission Board as a conforming interstate program.
QLD – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Legal Practitioners Admission Board of QLD as an authorised local provider of PLT in Queensland.
SA – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Legal Profession Education and Admission Council as an local authorised provider of PLT in South Australia.
TAS – Leo Cussen’s PLT is accredited in Tasmania by the Board of Legal Education Tasmania as a conforming interstate program.
VIC – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Victorian Legal Admissions Board as an authorised local provider of PLT in Victoria.
WA – Leo Cussen is accredited by the Legal Practice Board of WA as an authorised local provider of PLT in Western Australia.
From day one, you’ll be assigned a dedicated mentor who is also an experienced lawyer. Your mentor will guide you through the whole course, and offer personalised coaching as you complete your PLT, get admitted and start your legal career.
You’ll also have access to tailored placement, careers, and admission support to help get you job-ready.
Yes. You will have access to a dedicated careers office staffed with qualified career consultants who have experience in the legal profession. With hundreds of employers in our network and decades of experience, we’ll help equip you with the tools you need to enhance your job search, and get you job ready.
Yes. Leo Cussen provides personalised admission support for every PLT student at no additional cost. This means you’ll get dedicated one-on-one help with your application to become an Australian lawyer.
We’ll book a time for you to talk with one of our team about how our PLT program can set you up for career success.
You can view the Terms and Conditions for Enrolment here.
Are there any PLT requirements?
Academic You are eligible to commence the Practical Legal Training Course (PLT) if you have completed all the requirements of the LLB or JD from an Australian approved law school and are qualified to graduate. You may enrol in the PLT while you are completing your final law degree subjects. Your confirmation of enrolment is then conditional on you providing evidence that you have completed the requirements of your degree prior to commencing the course.
Concurrent Study
If you have no more than 2 elective subjects outstanding, you may apply to your local admitting authority for written approval to commence your PLT before completion of your law degree.
ACT – This does not apply in the ACT where you cannot start your Practical Legal Training until you have completed your degree unless exceptional circumstances apply.
NSW – When to start PLT
QLD – Guideline – Practical Legal Training Requirements
SA – Early Commencement of Practical Legal Training
VIC – Concurrent Study Application
WA – Practical Legal Training Requirements
You must provide this written approval to Leo Cussen before the commencement of the PLT. Applicants who wish to discuss their situation should contact the PLT Enrolment Team: enrolment@leocussen.edu.au.
Residency
If studying in Australia, you must have a residency status permitting you to reside and study in Australia. International students on student visas may only be eligible to apply for the onsite course mode.
International students on other forms of visas may be eligible to apply for other modes subject to the conditions of their visa.
All students: Please note that as
(a) the course amounts to a single unit of study; and
(b) entrants to the legal profession require currency in legal practice,
Leo Cussen cannot typically grant prior course credit (or Recognition of Prior Learning).
If you are an Overseas Qualified or Requalifying Lawyer/ Legal Practitioner seeking admission, you must first seek guidance/approval from the relevant state admitting authority before enrolling in the PLT.
Practitioners seeking single topic training may be eligible for PLT Single Topics, the Leo Cussen SLT Program, or may be interested in relevant CPD programs.
For important information on our PLT dates, go to our PLT Course Dates page and PLT Course Fees page.
Confirmation of enrolment is subject to:
- The provision of outstanding documentation (refer Application Form); and
- Part Tuition payment of $500 OR Completed Request for FEE-HELP Assistance form
Please note that the applicant will generally be subject to the our withdrawal or deferral fee. However, this policy may be waived by the Director PLT if it is clear that the applicant has promptly notified the Leo Cussen of their situation and their initial enrolment objectively appears to have been made in good faith.
NOTE: An applicant may be permitted to continue in the PLT while completing the final law degree subject. Applicants should contact the Director PLT to discuss this option.
A summary of the Deferral component of the policy is as follows: The applicant must:
- be an ‘eligible deferee’ by having been offered a place in the Centre’s PLT and;
- demonstrate compassionate or compelling circumstances (e.g. illness where a medical certificate states that the eligible deferee/trainee is unable to attend classes, family, travel, economic issues or other matters) and;
- submit a written Deferral Application to the Director PLT.
Applicants for Deferral should note that tuition fees may increase from year to year and they will be liable to pay the fee applicable at the time of enrolment.
Overseas Student deferrals (and suspension or cancellation of enrolments) are made in compliance with Standard 13 of the National Code 2007.
The entire PLT comprises a single unit EFTSL because the PLT is a course that prepares law graduates for admission to the legal profession and eligibility for ‘admission’ is an indissoluble concept. A lawyer is either admitted to the legal profession or not based on their satisfactory completion of the entire complement of Practical Legal Training under the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015.
Other study or work is ok, as long as it does not interfere with the recommended time commitment for each PLT course. See Course Structure for more details.
Please contact the Director PLT to discuss any concerns you may have.
Want to learn more about PLT? Contact a course advisor on 03 8621 7819 or courseadvice@leocussen.edu.au
Still got questions? You can contact us – we’re here to help!
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