Admissions

ADMISSION TO PRACTISE AS AN AUSTRALIAN LAWYER

The Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB) regulates entry to the legal profession in Victoria. VLAB determines the eligibility of individual applicants and issues compliance certificates for admission to the Australian legal profession.

For further information, and to make an application for admission, visit the VLAB online application portal.

The Supreme Court of Victoria conducts admission ceremonies throughout the year. Admission ceremonies take place when new lawyers are admitted to practise Australian law and welcomed to the profession.

The ceremonies are held in Banco - courtroom 1 - and can be watched live via webcast. Each ceremony is recorded and available to view via the Court's Admission Ceremonies.

Compliance certificates

For the purpose of s 16(3) of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Victoria) (LPUL) and in accordance with s 16(1)(a) of the LPUL, please note that on 13 November 2024, the Victorian Legal Admissions Board (VLAB) provided compliance certificates to the Court in respect of the persons listed on the VLAB website.

Access compliance certificates from the VLAB website.

OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING OR DUPLICATE ADMISSION ORDER 

A certificate of good standing, or a duplicate admissions order, can be obtained from the Principal Registry. 

A certificate of good standing is required by practitioners as evidence that they are currently enrolled on the Victorian Supreme Court roll of Barristers and Solicitors so that they may practise interstate or overseas. 

A duplicate admissions order is a certified copy of your original admissions certificate and can be obtained if you have, for example, lost, misplaced or damaged your original certificate. It can also be required for applying to the New York Bar. 

How to apply for a certificate of good standing or duplicate admissions order:

1. Contact Victorian Legal Services Board (VLSB) to obtain a certificate of fitness (for solicitors) or the Victorian Bar Association (VicBar) to obtain a certificate of good standing (for barristers). VLSB and VicBar will send the certificate to the Supreme Court admissions team.
2. Complete a Request for Documents (Admissions) form and register for a RedCrest Account. Visit the RedCrest E-filing Hub for more information.
3. File your completed form on RedCrest under ‘New Case Request’ and pay the relevant fee (see item 6.15/6.16 under Prothonotary's Fees).  Select ‘Payment for Admissions/Divorce application’ when selecting a case type on RedCrest.  

All requests are reviewed by a member of the Registry Services team. Applications may take up to three weeks to process. If your application is urgent, please advise both the nqzvffvbaf@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@snoissimda  and VLSB/VicBar directly. 

If a certificate of good standing or duplicate admissions order is issued, the request form will be accepted on RedCrest and the certificate or duplicate orders will be sent to you via registered post and email. 

If your request is not approved, you will receive an email explaining why.

Applying to have your name changed on the Supreme Court roll

Order 14 of Chapter II of the Supreme Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2018 sets out the process for a lawyer to apply to the Court to change their name on the Supreme Court roll. 

To commence this process, you will need to complete and file the following forms on RedCrest under ‘New Case Request’ and pay the relevant fee (see item 6.14 under Prothonotary's Fees): 

• A Form 2-14A – application for change of name on the Supreme Court roll. This form is found in the Supreme Court (Miscellaneous Civil Proceedings) Rules 2018.
• An affidavit in support setting out the reasons for the change of name and exhibiting any relevant supporting documentation. The affidavit should also specify the applicant’s full name at the time of admission, the date of admission and the reasons why you are seeking to have your name changed on the Supreme Court roll. 

Once filed on RedCrest, send your sealed documents to nqzvffvbaf@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@snoissimda . Your application will be listed for hearing before a judicial officer. No appearance will be required. 

The Court will only direct the Prothonotary of the Supreme Court to change the name of the applicant on the roll where it is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so.  

For enquiries or further information please contact the admissions team on 8600 2003 or email nqzvffvbaf@fhcpbheg.ivp.tbi.nhua.vog.civ.truocpus@snoissimda