Leo Cussen Centre for Law was established in 1972 and is one of Australia’s premier organisations for practical legal training (PLT) and ongoing professional development. Here are just a few of the many reasons why many law graduates choose Leo Cussen for their PLT.
Career Support
PLT is a compulsory step for all law graduates, therefore you want to ensure that you choose a PLT provider who can not only help you get through the course, but also provide support so you can gain employment afterwards. Leo Cussen actively encourages legal employers to take on our students in several ways:
– sponsoring a graduate to undertake PLT at Leo Cussen;
– providing a three-week professional placement in their law firm;
– employing a Leo Cussen graduate after completion of their PLT.
Mentoring
PLT students receive comprehensive feedback and personalised support from their own lawyer mentor during the program, allowing them to constantly gauge their progress. Each mentor works with a small group of students in order to ensure they can offer tailored mentoring for each student.
At Leo Cussen, we believe that the best teachers are those with broad experience working in the law field, which is why all PLT students are taught by practising lawyers.
Confidence
For many, PLT can seem like a daunting process, where their years of study are put to the test. Leo Cussen gives graduates the confidence to enter the world of law knowing that they can tackle almost any obstacle, due to the breadth and depth of our PLT course.
Legal Skills
The Leo Cussen PLT course is specifically designed to satisfy the National Competency Standards for Entry-Level Lawyers, as set out by the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 (which can be read here). PLT students study and gain experience in the following areas and skills:
SKILLS AND VALUES
Lawyer’s Skills (communication skills, interviewing, letter writing, drafting, negotiation and advocacy)
Problem Solving (problem analysis, statutory interpretation, practical legal research)
Trust and Office Accounting
Work Management and Business Skills (including professional placement, file management and risk management)
Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Wellbeing for Lawyers
CLIP – Client/Lawyer Interviewing Program
CORE PRACTICE AREAS
Litigation Practice
Commercial & Corporate Practice
Property Practice
Criminal Law Practice
CHOICE AREAS OF STREAMS (must complete 2)
Administrative Law Practice
Family Law Practice
Consumer Law Practice
Employment & Industrial Relations Practice
Planning and Environmental Law Practice
Wills and Estates Practice
Banking & Finance
Business Skills
By the conclusion of the PLT course, students will have gained much experience in many of the tasks necessary for working as a lawyer, such as client and deadline management, dealing with lawyers for other parties, and how to calculate the value of your time and work, making you a more effective and professional lawyer.
In our 2024 graduate survey, we found that 100% of Leo Cussen PLT alumni were satisfied with the program and felt it had given them the necessary skills to begin their careers in law. So don’t just take our word for it, come and find out why Leo Cussen is the ideal organisation for completing your Practical Legal Training.
