Supervised legal practice is a fundamentally important component in the continuum of education for any practitioner.
All newly licensed lawyers must only engage in supervised legal practice (SLP) until they have completed the requisite period of practice under the guidance of a more experienced lawyer.
While SLP is a statutory requirement under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), junior lawyers should see it as more than just a regulatory obligation. It is an opportunity to lay a firm foundation for legal practice and acquire practical skills that are necessary for delivering competent and expeditious legal services and for attaining just outcomes for clients. Likewise, practitioners tasked with supervising others should see it as an opportunity to transmit their knowledge and craft to someone who may take over their practice one day.
To complement the Law Society’s existing resources regarding SLP, the Professional Support Unit has developed the following guidelines, which set out practical ways in which both supervisors and supervised lawyers can discharge their regulatory obligations and contribute to a successful supervision arrangement. It can be viewed here.
If you would like further guidance on supervised legal practice, contact one of our Regulatory Compliance solicitors from the Professional Support Unit (PSU) for a confidential chat on (02) 9926 0115 or email your query to [email protected].
PSU’s Regulatory Compliance line provides guidance to solicitors on compliance issues related to the provision of legal services under the Uniform Law. Common questions handled by Regulatory Compliance include those regarding practicing certificates, practice management and practice structures permitted by the Uniform Law, such as incorporated legal practices.
