Career options in law

Wondering what the deal is with Practical Legal Training (PLT)? That’s what this webinar is for.

Join us on Tuesday 6 August for a one-hour crash course on PLT. We’ll cover the basics, bust myths and answer questions.

It’s a common question: how do you become an in-house lawyer? Is there a good time to make the move? How do you prepare, via secondments or other relevant experience? What qualities make a great in-house lawyer?

In-house is a very different environment to a law firm, especially as most in-house teams are still relatively small – often between three to six lawyers.

Let’s explore the top skills employers are searching for. So you can demonstrate your worth, stand out from the crowd and land a legal role. ​

Create a standout legal resume with our step-by-step guide. Learn how to format, highlight skills, and polish your resume for your target audience.

The competition is tough, but by knowing what recruiters look for and pitching your skills and experience in their best light, you can make your resume stand out for all the right reasons.

Ian Aldridge, Principal, Progressive Legal, recently opened a sole practice. As a follow on from our previous article Single and Ready to Mingle – Tips for Becoming a Sole Practitioner we asked Ian to reflect on his recent personal experience to provide tips for lawyers who have also decided to open a small practice.

Learn how Jess Grumelart forged a career in family law through a chance encounter at a careers fair - and an LLM in Applied Law (Family Law). We spoke to Jess about her road to family law, how her LLM helped her connect to a community of supportive family lawyers, and what advice she might have for lawyers wondering to align their legal career with their interests and passions.

Join our information session to learn what PLT is, how it works, when to start, and what it costs — all in under an hour.

Explore the full legal learning pathway – from CPD to postgraduate study – and discover how the College of Law supports your career at every stage.

Discover the power of plain language for lawyers with our comprehensive guide. Learn how to communicate clearly, master formatting, and put plain language into action.

Let’s explore the what, why and how of your PLT. And discover how it helps you hit the ground running to accelerate your legal career.

Get ready for your legal job interview with our step-by-step guide. Learn about research, first impressions, and common questions to ace your next interview!

Learn how to write a legal cover letter with our step-by-step guide. Find out what to include, the format to follow, and how to polish your presentation for a law firm application.

Space law is a growing field as humanity embraces space exploration with renewed vigour, propelled by private interests and national endeavours. We caught up with Helen Tung, College of Law lecturer in international arbitration, on her pioneering career in space law and to find out about the opportunities available for those interested in exploring the final legal frontier.

Learn how Bridget Cullen carved a career in public law and her advice for becoming an administrative lawyer.

Kiarah embodies the archetype of a lifelong learner – and she’s kindly shared her career tips from a serial student

Adeline Schiralli, Consulting Principal at Keypoint Law (NSW), is a master of Wills and Estates law. Literally. Adeline traces her journey to specialisation, highlighting the College of Law’s LLM as a crucial step to accreditation.

Ever wondered how to stand out and distinguish yourself as a junior lawyer? After running the gauntlet of competitive clerkships, you’ve landed a grad role. In those crucial years, how do you ensure you learn, provide value to your peers, mid-career lawyers, senior associates, special counsel, and partners - and steer clear of the mistakes that might sink or set back your career?

Want to land a job? Learn how to stand out at every stage—from applications to interviews.

Join Stephanie Croker (People2People) and Luke de Castro (G+T Ventures) as they share insider tips.

Curious about different legal careers? Discover your path as a solicitor, barrister, in-house counsel, or explore roles in NewLaw, courts, community legal centres, government, public notary services, and family dispute resolution. Find the right legal career for you today!

Discover what law school didn't teach you. Learn 8 new things in the College of Law's Practical Legal Training program, from negotiation to legal tech, and excel in your legal career.

The College of Law has written an eBook guide to thriving as a lawyer, featuring 10 practical tips for new lawyers.

Duha Al Hassnawi is an Australian admitted lawyer who decided to move to the United Kingdom and qualify as an English solicitor. For anyone considering a similar career (and life) change we hear from Duha about what drove her to make this significant move and what the cross-qualification process was like when preparing and completing the SQE.

The College of Law Open House is your backstage pass to life after law school. See PLT in action. Meet grads and lecturers. Get a LinkedIn headshot. Grab merch.

Webinars recorded and facilitated by the Centre for Legal Innovation.

The UK legal market offers Australian lawyers a compelling combination of career prestige, accelerated learning opportunities, and access to some of the world's most sophisticated transactions. Director at Marsden, Alex Russell, and his colleague Senior Consultant Alex Diez, have been helping connect Australian lawyers with UK firms for years.

Discover how Vicky used a double major in Business Law and Property Law to accelerate her legal career, build specialist expertise and deliver stronger outcomes for clients.

Take your job search to the next level with our comprehensive resources for law students and graduates. Master the art of crafting a standout LinkedIn profile, including your URL, profile picture, summary, experience, connections, and recommendations.

Don’t let your first day in a practice be a daunting one. Read up on what it’s like to step into the real world of law.  

Jo Bragg, a solicitor in regional Tasmania, started as a generalist lawyer. Her personal experience of separation, along with increasing client demand, prompted her to move into family law. Insights spoke to Jo about what attracted her to family law, what her day-to-day life looks like in practice, and her advice for lawyers looking to move into the area.

Becoming a specialist can be a smart career move. It’s a pathway to new knowledge, opportunities and challenges. But it’s also a commitment. So is specialising the right move for you? Learn the ins, outs, and must-knows of specialising – and what you need to know before you take the leap.

Here’s a career tip no one talks about: being yourself is actually your biggest advantage.

Join career coach Benjamin MacNevin, CFA for a free webinar on how authenticity can help law students and grads land the job.

So how do you know what path to pursue when you don’t have a clue? Here are 6 strategies to help you find a career that’s right for you. 

Have questions about acing a job interview? Send 'em in, because your invited to a live Q&A with Lisa Tozer, the Interview Coach.

On Tuesday 26 November, Lisa’s going live to tackle your job interview questions, back by popular demand after our Careers Academy! Just send in your questions when you register, and Lisa will answer them live!

The College delves into the key requirements, steps involved, and potential challenges of cross-qualifying as an Australian lawyer in the UK. We spoke to Duha Al Hassnawi, an Australian foreign lawyer based in London, for her insights on the dual qualification process. Duha is currently enrolled in The College of Legal Practice’s SQE1 prep course.

High-conflict family separations don't end when court orders are made. For many families, the real challenge begins afterwards and this is where Parenting Coordination comes in. It is a structured, child-focused intervention that's gaining recognition as a powerful alternative to repeated litigation.

Join our free webinar on Thursday 31 July at 5.45pm (AEST) to hear from Helen Tung and Erin Grierson, two legal professionals now building legal careers in the UK.

Whether you’re studying or have already completed your law degree, you may still be mulling over where you’d like your career to go. And that’s okay. But doing the PLT is a good idea regardless. Here’s why. 

Learn how Chelsea Donoghue merged her lot of arts and law: How she managed her study while on world tours, what she loves most about her work at Sanicki Lawyers, and what’s next.

Kerala Drew found the path to qualifying as an Australian lawyer fraught with roadblocks. Learn how she landed her first job in law, what set her College of Law PLT experience apart from prior study, and what advice she might have for lawyers looking to join the Australian legal profession.

Here are 6 tips to help you leave a lasting impression and showcase your worth. 

Rick Christie, owner of ChristieLaw and committee member of STEP NSW, had always been attracted to the personal side of wills and estates. Insights spoke to Rick about how he came to specialise in wills and estates, what advice he might have for lawyers looking to move into the area, and what role industry organisation STEP can play for lawyers keen to become specialists.

Discover the key differences between law school and real-world legal practice, including handling complex cases, simplifying legal jargon, managing tight deadlines, and developing essential soft skills.

Ankurpreet Singh was thrust into a costly commercial conflict, which made him determine to pursue a legal career. To make his dream a reality, he enrolled in the College of Law’s LPMC – where he bolstered his business competence and confidence.

From AI transcription to visual workflow boards, these tools are being adopted by lawyers who are tired of working harder than they need to. Here are 7 tech tools for lawyers by legal tech writer Wenee Yap.

Embarking on a legal career in local, state, or federal government can be an exciting move. There are many pathways for development, a broad range of practice areas, and often a healthy work-life balance. These roles are highly rewarding, and highly competitive, the College of Law tells you everything you need to know about landing a government job in law.

For many lawyers, the idea of working overseas can seem like a daunting prospect. A career in law can often be limited by the regions in which your qualification allows you to practice, while at a glance many foreign economies can seem more precarious than Australia for a lawyer. However, for those brave and enterprising enough, the fruits of overseas legal opportunities can be bountiful.

While lawyers possess an impressive arsenal of skills those required in mediation aren’t necessarily what you think. We spoke to Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and Alternative Dispute Resolution Academic of the Year, the College of Law’s Linda Kochanski, on what makes for a great mediator, the skills you need, and personalities that fit - and, at times, don’t naturally fit - mediation. 

Learn how Carmel Morrison returned to study with an LLM, and Specialist Accreditation.

There is no shortage of reasons to hire a law graduate for a job that isn't solely legally focussed. Among the new lawyers graduating from law school every year are some of our generation’s best, brightest and most hard-working prospective employees and it’s not just law firms that are sitting up and taking notice.

How do you stand out in Australia's competitive legal market, filled with talented solicitors? We spoke with Shona Rowan, a people and culture consultant, high-performance coach, and bestselling author, about what it takes to rise above the rest. Here, she shares five expert steps to help lawyers reach their full professional potential.

Learn about the process of becoming a lawyer, from meeting the requirements to applying for admission and receiving your practising certificate.

Podcasts recorded and facilitated by the Centre for Legal Innovation.

Do you fantasise about foreign cities, buzzing cultures and access to connected world hubs? As a lawyer you are well placed to explore these very things and expand your career lens. Helen Tung, barrister, senior counsel and teaching fellow at the College of Law, has led an impressive legal career working across the UK, UAE, America, Australia and Japan. We asked Helen for her advice to lawyers wanting to take their legal careers to the world stage.

PLT is a structured training program designed to help you develop the practical, day-to-day skills you will need as an entry-level lawyer. Completion of a PLT program is the second essential step to being admitted as a lawyer – the first being your law degree. Click the link below to learn more.

The first NewLaw Careers virtual internship has launched with the College of Law in conjunction with the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) and Forage. Five NewLaw careers are on offer including Legal Operations Professional, Legal Data Analyst, Legal Technologist, Legal Knowledge Manager, and Family Law Mediator. Lead by impressive subject matter experts, read on to learn more.

Law school covered the theory. This free webinar covers what comes next. Join us on Tuesday 29 August at 6.00pm (AEST) to learn what PLT is, how it works, and when to get started.

Marianne Anderson completed her legal practice management course just 5 months after her PLT. Here's the story of this relentless early-career lawyer.

In this guide, we take you through everything you need to find (and land) a perfect fit. Expect plenty of insider secrets along the way!

Learn what it’s like to work in criminal and domestic violence law with Belinda Robinson, who runs her own practice on the Sunshine Coast.

Discover how Oliver Morrisey advanced his legal career with a Master of Laws in Wills and Estates, building specialist expertise, growing his practice and achieving long term success.

Learn more about Jason Feng and his latest initiative, practisinglaw.com.au, which provides practical step-by-step guides, like File Management for Junior Lawyers, or answers to FAQs. It’s an entirely free service that Jason contributes to the legal community.

2023 NSW Young Lawyer of the Year, Mei Gong, is often asked for her career advice. From getting $100 million deals over the line, to representing clients in criminal and civil cartel proceedings, Mei Gong has already led an extraordinary career. We asked Mei for her top career tips to help other young lawyers on their career journeys. 

Australians hold a rare E-3 Visa status, a visa class currently exclusive to Australian nationals, and making Australia one of a handful of countries (including Canada) offered special access to prized US work rights. This makes Australian lawyers particularly attractive to US law firms and the job opportunities for lawyers in America are eye-wateringly lucrative. Read on for everything you need to know about taking your legal career to the bright lights of the USA.

Discover the diverse career opportunities your law degree can unlock. Learn the difference between a lawyer and a solicitor, explore life as a solicitor or barrister, and delve into various legal specialities and alternative careers.

The pandemic sparked a mass exodus from Australia’s metropolitan cities, as urban lawyers discovered what their country counterparts had long known: life is better in the country. We show you how to become a regional, rural or remote lawyer.

How to highlight your service experience to stand out and land a legal role.

Learn how Sian Ogge was promoted to Senior Associate after completing an LLM in Applied Law (Wills & Estates), in which she was recently named Best Graduating Student.

David Peaston has done it all: co-owned a Perisher Valley ski lodge, expanded the family electrical manufacturing business which was then sold to a public company, serving as COO to the purchasing company. In 2008, he returned to the law, and in 2016, established his own practice focussing on wills and estates, property and commercial law.

Mediator and former family lawyer Renee Toy knows human conflict does not pause, even during the Great Pause of 2020. Renee was recently recognised as the College’s best graduating student of Family Dispute Resolution Practice (FDRP), a prize generously sponsored by Barry.Nilsson.Lawyers

For young lawyers there are a vast number of career paths on offer, but for those who want to have an impact in the field of criminal law, a career with the CDPP may be what you are looking for. Unique and cutting-edge cases are par for the course when working at the CDPP, an environment Eliza Amparo, Acting Deputy Director at the CDPP, describes as “dynamic, intellectually stimulating and rewarding”.

Get the essential information on pursuing a legal career in Australia. From law degrees to practical legal training, we cover everything you need to know about becoming a lawyer.

Insights spoke to Andrew Boog about how he came to be a business law expert, what he enjoys most about the field, and what advice he might have for lawyers looking to move into business law.

In just one hour, we’ll cut through the confusion about Practical Legal Training and give you the facts about your next step after uni.

Ever felt like you’re dragging yourself through mud at work? It’s depressing – your motivation drops, your energy flags, nothing feels rewarding, and managing your billables and budgets starts to feel like torture. We caught up with executive coach Sue Billen to find out how she came out of career stall, and helps others find their way forward in their careers.

In this fast, free webinar, we’ll break down what PLT actually is, how it fits into your path to becoming a lawyer, and why it’s not as complicated as you might think.

We’ll cover the essentials: time, cost, course options, work experience, and what you’ll really be doing during the program

Estimates range anywhere from 60% to 80% of jobs are not advertised. If so, how do you unlock the hidden job market? We caught up with the College of Law’s National Careers Advisor Ruth Beran for her top tips to access the hidden job market, how you conduct an informational interview, and unorthodox approaches she’s seen succeed.

For Bree Mawhinney, studying a Masters in Applied Law through The College of Law meant embracing a career change to private practice. Bree, then a Senior Legal Officer at the Attorney-General’s Department, had spent her career in the criminal law division advising the Federal Government on pardons and appeals regarding federal crimes. Her dream, however, was to move to a smaller practice closer to her Snowy Mountains home and focus on family law. 

The College of Law celebrates 50 years of service to the legal industry. Since it opened its doors in 1974, the College has empowered over 100,000 professionals to achieve their career aspirations in the law. We take a look at the College’s many legal education milestones and hear from long-standing CEO Neville Carter and Chairman Joseph Catanzariti AM.

When you apply for a legal role, simply listing a bunch of buzzwords like teamwork and time management won’t get you very far. ​ You need to demonstrate your skills to employers. Here’s how you can promote your skillset with punch and authority.

Uni studies give you a solid theoretical understanding of the law. But practising as a legal professional is much more nuanced than at uni. Here are 6 vital lessons you don't learn at law school. 

Let’s see where you can take your skills to pursue a non-traditional legal pathway.

Thinking beyond traditional law roles? Dive into exciting career paths in legal tech, business, operations, politics, and government. Perfect for lawyers and those with law degrees looking for new opportunities. Explore your options today!

Legal operations has been quietly on the rise for almost a decade. In 2010, Connie Brenton, the first ever legal operations executive of Oracle, founded the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium.

Two LLM graduates. Now lecturers on the program that shaped their careers. Hear their stories and find out where postgraduate study could take you.