View: Commencing Legal Practice | Establishing a law practice | Practice Management | Law Practice Succession & Contingency Planning | Winding Down or Selling a Law Practice | Ethics & Standards Quarterly | The Uniform Law Regime

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE

The Law Society of NSW seeks to align the commercial imperatives that drive the business of legal practice with the regulatory framework largely contained in the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) and associated Rules (the ‘Uniform Law Regime’).

This approach encourages solicitors to view regulatory compliance, not as an authoritative burden, but as a means to generate client satisfaction and drive profitability.

Regulatory compliance assistance phone number: 02 9926 0115 Email: regulatory.compliance@lawsociety.com.au. 

Commencing Legal Practice

The following resources have been developed to assist law graduates and lawyers, including lawyers admitted outside NSW and foreign lawyers, understand the regulatory requirements of admission to the Australian legal profession and commencing legal practice in NSW.

Transition from Law School to Legal Practice
How to Apply for Your Practising Certificate
Practising Certificate Categories and Conditions
Supervised Legal Practice
Continuing Professional Development
What a Lawyer Can and Cannot Do at Each Stage of Their Career
Dos and Don’ts for Graduates
Practising Foreign Law in NSW
Interstate Practice 

Establishing a law practice

• Sole Practitioner
  Commencing practice as a sole practitioner checklist
• Law Firm
  Commencing a law firm partnership checklist
• Incorporated Legal Practice
  Commencing an incorporated legal practice (ILP) checklist
  ILP Toolkit
• Unincorporated Legal Practice
  Commencing an unincorporated legal practice (ULP) checklist
• Law Practice Marketing
  Solicitor and law practice marketing – how do I meet my regulatory obligations?
  Advertising Legal Services
• Professional Standards Scheme
  Law Society of NSW Professional Standards Scheme
• Trust Accounting
  Trust Money and Fidelity Fund 

Practice Management

Supervision

Compliance Review
A Quick Guide to Supervised Legal Practice
Generative AI: Supervision and Risk Management
A Principal’s Responsibilities Under the Uniform Law
Unauthorised Employment of Lay Associates who are Disqualified Persons
Remote staff supervision: Managing the risks
Reasonable supervision: what does it mean for you and your staff
Are you supervising as you should? Your staff & your practice depend on it

File Management

File Handling and Safe Custody
An Overview of File Ownership

Data and Cyber Security

Cyber Risk Management Checklist
Data and Cyber Security for Law Practices
Cyber Incident Procedure and Emergency Contacts
Client Flyer – Don’t Be a Victim of Cyber Fraud
Lawcover Cyber Resources

Law Practice Promotion

Solicitor and Law Practice Marketing – How Do I Meet My Regulatory Obligations?
Posting on Social Media: Boon or Bane for Lawyers?

Witnessing and Certifying Documents

Checklist for Witnessing Signatures and Certifying Documents in NSW 

Law Practice Succession & Contingency Planning

Solicitors who are the sole principal of a law practice are particularly vulnerable to disruption if they are suddenly unable to manage the law practice. Find out more. 

Winding Down or Selling a Law Practice

Law Practice Sale or Closure – What to Do Before You Leave
Transfer of a Practitioner’s Practice – Checklist
How to Advertise Your Practice for Sale
Surrendering Your Practising Certificate

Ethics & Standards Quarterly

The Law Society of NSW’s Ethics and Standards Quarterly aims to provide the profession with more information about the co-regulatory role of the Law Society and the outcomes it achieves through regulation. Find out more.