Lawyers
Applying for Admission as a Legal Practitioner in the Northern Territory
General Information
Before you can practise law in Australia, you must first be admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of an Australian State or Territory and then you must hold a practising certificate in an Australian jurisdiction.
The Legal Practitioners Admission Board of the Northern Territory (the Board) is a statutory body, which performs functions associated with the admission of lawyers in the Northern Territory.
The Board’s main function is to advise the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory of a person’s eligibility (approved academic qualifications and approved practical legal training requirements) and suitability (fit and proper) to be admitted as a lawyer in the Northern Territory in accordance with the Legal Profession Act 2006 and Legal Profession Admission Rules 2007.
If the Board recommends a person for admission, they are issued a compliance certificate, and may be admitted to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory at an Admissions Ceremony.
The Board may also provide directions to a prospective applicant for admission regarding issues such as approval to undertake concurrent study and early consideration of suitability for admission.
Applying for admission
The Board sits five times a year before the Admission Ceremony dates for the Supreme Court sitting in Darwin (see below).
To apply for admission to the legal profession you must:
- Read the Admission Guidelines and other information published on the Supreme Court website that is relevant to your application type (see below);
- Complete the appropriate originating motion and affidavit to apply for admission to, or be registered in, the legal profession (see below) and file those by email to NTSC.efile@nt.gov.au; and
- Pay the filing fee by completing the electronic payment form and emailing it to NTSC.efile@nt.gov.au.
As at 1 July 2024, the filing fee for an application to be admitted as a local lawyer under section 25(1) of the Legal Profession Act 2006, is $497.00. - Serve your sealed application for admission to the legal profession, and any subsequently supplementary affidavit, on the Law Society Northern Territory by email to raa@lawsocietynt.asn.au.
Any application for admission must be filed by close of business Wednesday, 20 days prior to the Admission Ceremony Date for the Supreme Court sitting in Darwin (see below).
Any enquiries relating to admissions should be directed by email to the Secretary of the Board at NTSC.efile@nt.gov.au.
Applying for directions
Applications for directions are made by affidavit and should address any specific information required by the Legal Profession Act 2006 and Legal Profession Admission Rules 2007. There is no filing fee for an application for directions and there is no requirement to serve the sealed application for directions on the Northern Territory Law Society.
Any application for directions must be filed by close of business Wednesday, 20 days prior to the Admission Ceremony Date for the Supreme Court sitting in Darwin (see below).
Any enquiries relating to directions should be directed by email to the Secretary of the Board at NTSC.efile@nt.gov.au
Admission Ceremony
The Admission Ceremony will usually commence at 9.00am unless otherwise advised by the Chief Justice’s Associate.
The Admission Ceremony dates for the Supreme Court sitting in Darwin are:
2024 Admissions Ceremony Dates
- 22 October 2024 - application to be filed by close of business 2 October 2024
- 10 December 2024 - application to be filed by close of business 20 November 2024
2025 Admissions Ceremony Dates
- 25 February 2025 - application to be filed by close of business 5 February 2025
- 6 May 2025 - application to be filed by close of business 16 April 2025
- 22 July 2025- application to be filed by close of business 2 July 2025
- 21 October 2025- application to be filed by close of business 1 October 2025
- 9 December 2025- application to be filed by close of business 19 November 2025
Persons seeking to be admitted to the Supreme Court sitting in Alice Springs are made by arrangement after the Board has issued a compliance certificate recommending a person for admission.
Admission Guidelines and other relevant information
You must read the following Admission Guidelines and information that is relevant to your application type, since you will be required to attest to same in the affidavit that supports your application for admission:
- Legal Profession Admission Guidelines PDF (257.4 KB)
- Law Admissions Consultative Committee Disclosure Guidelines for Admission to the Legal Profession PDF (273.6 KB)
- Mutual Recognition Scheme Registration Guidelines PDF (78.1 KB)
- Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Scheme Registration Guidelines PDF (224.4 KB)
Pro-forma Originating Motions and Affidavits for Admission
Pro-forma originating motions and affidavits are provided to assist you in completing an application for admission to, or application for registration in, the legal profession in the Northern Territory.
The pro-forma do not address the full range of issues that may arise in making an application, such that you should also consider the legislation that relates to your application type.
- Originating Motion and Affidavit for admission to the legal profession under the Legal Profession Act 2006 RTF (104.2 KB)
- Originating Motion and Affidavit for registration to the legal profession under the Mutual Recognition Act 1992 (Commonwealth) DOCX (17.2 KB)
- Originating Motion and Affidavit for admission to the legal profession under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997 (Commonwealth) DOCX (25.2 KB)
- Application for Approval to Enter into Articles of Clerkship DOCX (12.8 KB)
In the case of an application for admission to the legal profession, you must annex a Rule 4 Certificate and Rule 5 Certificate to your affidavit that specifically references compliance with the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2007 (Northern Territory).
The following are examples of a Rule 4 Certificate and Rule 5 Certificate in proper form:
Index of Costs
- Taxation Guidelines, Interest Rates, Costs, Limits on Personal Injuries Claims and Counsel Fees document
- Fees - Supreme Court Regulations PDF (148.8 KB)
Practice Directions
Court Reporting Policy
- Application for Transcript-Supreme Court Civil PDF (254.1 KB)
- Application for Transcript - Supreme Court Criminal PDF (254.5 KB)
- Application for Transcript - Local Court PDF (255.9 KB)
- Court Reporting Policy PDF (98.9 KB)
Court Fees
Response by Defence Counsel to Crown Opening
Mediators
Liquidators
Bail Secured by Real Property
- Real Property as Security for Bail DOCX (25.3 KB)
- Bail Act - Bail Undertaking and Agreement by Accused Person with Guarantor DOCX (28.5 KB)
- Mortgage Precedent Form 39 DOC (53.5 KB)
- Caveat Precedent Form 78 DOC (57.5 KB)
- General Consent Form 93 DOCX (28.3 KB)
Supreme Court Rules
Supreme Court Forms
Motor Accidents (Compensation) Appeal Tribunal
The Motor Accidents (Compensation) Appeal Tribunal (the Tribunal) is constituted of a Supreme Court Judge under section 28 of the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Act 1979 (the Act).
A referral can be made to the Tribunal under section 28D (referral to Tribunal – designated person’s initiative) or section 28E (referral to Tribunal – claimant’s request) of the Act.
On referral of a matter, the Tribunal must conduct a hearing into the matter in the way it considers appropriate and make a decision pursuant to section 29(4) of the Act.
The approved form for instituting a Reference to the Tribunal, pursuant to Rule 5 of the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Appeal Tribunal Rules 1986, is available here.
The approved form for providing an Answer to a reference, pursuant to Rule 6 of the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Appeal Tribunal Rules 1986, is available here.
The approved form for providing documents relevant to the proceedings pursuant to Rules 5 & 6 of the Motor Accidents (Compensation) Appeal Tribunal Rules 1986 Index of Documents is available here.