Why study with the Law Extension Committee
The Diploma in Law from the NSW Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB), and taught by the University of Sydney’s Law Extension Committee (LEC), is not your average law qualification.
The oldest qualification for admission to the legal profession in Australia (Banjo Paterson qualified as a solicitor through the LPAB’s exams), the Diploma in Law offers everything you would expect from a law degree from any of the country’s best educational institutions – the standard of teaching, subjects and career path are the same, yet it is available to a wider range of students who may not have taken a traditional path towards studying law.
Aimed primarily at adult students, the Diploma in Law provides an alternative pathway for careers in law.
Download the A Pathway to Legal Profession brochure below.
Who can enrol and how much does it cost?
The Diploma in Law is an affordable means of study with broad entry requirements.
Students can expect to pay approximately $20,000 to complete this course, and our unique pay-as-you-go fee structure means you will graduate debt free.
Entry requirements recognise your individual life experience. ATAR and school results do not limit your ability to study law with the LEC.
Who studies with the LEC
There are many types of people that choose this path, including:
- People looking to switch careers or re-enter the work force after a break
- People currently working in law but not as lawyers (who would like to become lawyers)
- Individuals interested in learning more about law that do not need a full qualification – e.g. IT staff interested in intellectual property rights
- Current lawyers wanting to upskill or fulfill CPD/MCLE requirements
- International graduates wanting to qualify to practise law in Australia.
Who runs the Diploma in Law?
The Diploma in Law is a collaboration between the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) and the Law Extension Committee (LEC) of the University of Sydney.
The NSW Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) is a statutory corporation which administers various functions associated with the admission of lawyers in New South Wales (NSW). The LPAB accredits all NSW law courses, admits all lawyers to the NSW Supreme Court, makes decisions about who can practise and teach law, holds exams and awards the Diploma in Law.
The LEC is part of The University of Sydney. The University provides teaching in all subjects, along with other academic support such as tutorials and skills sessions. Students also get full access to the University of Sydney Law library.
Work and study at the same time
The Diploma in Law is built around people who are already in the workforce. Evening and weekend classes allow you to fit study into your existing schedule and opt in sessions based around legal research, problem solving, citation, proof reading and exams help you perfect the skills you need to be successful in your new career.
What are the typical graduate outcomes?
There are a wide variety of career options available to graduates of the Diploma in Law, with typical roles including:
- Judges
- Barristers
- Employed solicitors
- Tax advisors
- Sole practitioners
- Migration agents
- Public servants
- Quasi or non-legal roles.
Past graduates have gone on to start their own firms, gain promotions, and work for large organisations. To read more about their careers after leaving the LEC, take a look at our graduate stories.