NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell has criticized the College of Law for its high fees charged to aspiring lawyers for practical legal training (PLT), calling for reform and a reduction in costs. Bell expressed his 'profound concern' over the fees, noting that they create a significant barrier to entry for the legal profession. Following his intervention, the College of Law has announced a reduction in its standard PLT tuition fee. Bell also plans to launch a profession-wide survey to gather feedback on PLT and explore potential reforms.
NSW ’s top judge has declared war on a major not-for-profit body raking in millions of dollars from aspiring lawyers, in an unprecedented intervention likely to trigger a shake-up of legal training across the country.
Its surplus in the 2023-24 financial year was $18.8 million, financial records show, while in the previous year it was $15.9 million.NSW Chief Justice Andrew Bell Bell said he had expressed his “profound concern about the level of charging to the chairman and chief executive of the College of Law, especially the practice of generating very substantial annual surpluses by a not-for-profit body, from students required to undertake PLT”.
It is a long-standing practice that some, typically large, law firms cover PLT fees as a means of luring new graduates, subject to a condition that the recruits stay at the firm for a set period.Supreme Court of NSW Bell said the College of Law’s reduction in fees this year was a “salutary development” but “ fact remains … that the College has accumulated a huge pool of reserves which I would expect to be returned to the profession”.
In a sign this is the first shot fired in a campaign to overhaul practical legal training and reduce fees, Bell announced it was also an “appropriate time” to gauge the profession’s views about PLT.
LEGAL TRAINING FEES COLLEGE OF LAW NSW CHIEF JUSTICE REFORM
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