You will need this certificate to practise as a solicitor in Queensland. A solicitor is a person who is qualified and approved for admittance to legal practice in an Australian jurisdiction. Depending on the level of practising certificate required, there are different requirements for each level:
- Unrestricted principal practising certificates are issued to all principals in law practices. Principals must satisfy the Practice Management Course requirements and be covered by professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the Indemnity Rule.
- Restricted principal practising certificates are issued to those principals who haven't yet completed the required period of supervised legal practice. A restricted principal practising certificate can't be issued to a sole practitioner.
Limited principal practising certificates are issued to some classes of principals with certain conditions attached (e.g. the principal solicitor in a community legal service).
Local practising certificates can only be issued to an Australian lawyer. All new local legal practitioners must engage in supervised legal practice for a prescribed period of time.
