Pleads cases before civil, criminal and industrial courts and other tribunals. Registration or licensing is required.

Skill Level

1

Specialisations

• Queen’s Counsel
• Senior Counsel (Aus)

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Barrister is undertaken by the Legal Admissions Authority for each state or territory.

In Victoria: The Victorian Legal Admissions board.

In NSW: Legal Profession Admission Board

In QLD:  Queensland Legal Practitioners Admissions Board

In W.A: Legal Practice Board of W.A.

In N.T: Legal Practitioners Admission Board

In S.A: Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council

In TAS: Board of Legal Education

In ACT: Legal Practitioners Admission Board

The uniform principles for assessing the qualifications of overseas applications for admission to the Australian Legal Profession (with some state to state variations) are as follows:

To be admitted to the legal profession in an Australian jurisdiction on the basis of qualifications obtained outside Australia, an applicant must usually have:

(a) Completed a tertiary course leading to legal practice in the applicant’s home jurisdiction, which is substantially equivalent to a three-year full-time law course that leads to admission to the legal profession in Australia ; and

(b) Successfully completed subjects, either as part of that course or otherwise, which are substantially equivalent to the areas of study which Australian applicants must successfully complete before being admitted to the legal profession in Australia;

(c) Completed practical legal training or other experience to demonstrate the applicant has acquired and demonstrated an appropriate understanding of, and competence in, certain skills, practice areas and values, which are substantially equivalent to the skills, practice areas and values which Australian applicants must acquire and demonstrate an understanding of and competence in, before being admitted to the legal profession in Australia; and

(d) Met the requirements of the English Language Proficiency Guidelines (Please note NSW has slightly different English Language Requirements)

plead cases before civil, criminal and industrial courts and other tribunals.

Tasks

• receiving written information in the form of briefs and verbal instructions concerning cases from Solicitors, other specialist Legal Professionals and clients
• providing advice and written opinions on points of law
• conferring with clients and witnesses in preparation for court proceedings
• drawing up pleadings, affidavits and other court documents
• researching statutes and previous court decisions relevant to cases
• outlining the facts to the court, calling and questioning witnesses, and making addresses to the court to argue a client’s case
• providing opinion on complex legal issues
• may draw up or settle documents

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing is required.

Occupations in this Group

• 271111 Barrister