Nzcle

[ScottMcUK]

Hello,

I am hoping to start my application process to be admitted as a practicing solicitor in New Zealand. I have an LLB obtained from a recognised University in England which I obtained in 2003. I have been a practicing Solicitor in the UK for 3 years having obtained the necessary LPC from the College of Law in 2008.

I got a really helpful email from the NZCLE offering some advice on what I need to get together to have my qualifications assessed. They linked to this document which is active at the time of writing:

http://www.nzcle.org.nz/Docs/Admission_Brochure.pdf

I'm just in the process of gathering certificates and transcripts etc, but the part about obtaining the 'handbooks' pertaining to the various courses is a worry. There were 25 subjects in my LLB alone. I started that course in 2000. Suffice to say, any handbooks I had are long gone. I appreciate the linked document talks about how the Dean of the Law School can write a letter regarding the contents of the course (luckily, the now Dean was my tutor at the time), but it's a bit of an ask for the poor chap to wade through 25 textbooks commenting on the various changes in the law.

I simply post (because I'm unable to message folk, although this thread might be a useful reference for other applicants) to ask how others on the forum dealt with this particular requirement. The Collage I went to has also closed (although now run by the University of Law), so getting hold of handbooks from the LPC might also be tricky.

Thanks in advance for any help.
Scott

[JandM]

I don't know, not being anything to do with the legal profession, but from experience with university courses in other disciplines, it seems worth saying to you... It's possible that the University of Law that has taken over the college where you studied will still have the records of courses that were run, and possibly even the whole of your (individual) course of study. It's worth asking if they have them, or if they know where they would have been archived. It wouldn't be normal just to discard them.

[ScottMcUK]

Thanks for the reply. You're right, they will definitely have a record of me. I'm more interested in hearing from those with experience of going through the process of having the qualification assessed and whether they had to submit 25 text books from 2000 in order for their degree to be assessed!!! that would take up a lot of time, if it's even possible. Calling all UK lawyers in NZ who went through the process. Waiting from a response from NZCLE which I will post once received. Will also update on my progress so it will be a reference for future Googlers.

[ScottMcUK]

I had a reply from NZCLE on the issue of the handbook:

"For the handbook, what we are interested in are information about the degree structure, and course outlines for the core areas of law (in the areas of public law, contract, torts, crimes, and property – include land, and equity and succession) and legal ethics".

I'll continue to update this thread.

[dich]

Hello Scott. I too am compiling my documents for the assessment. I didn't have my handbook for the my B.A.LL.B. either but fortunately was able to get a copy from the University after writing to them directly. It is quite a bulky document (5 handbooks, one for each year). The NZCLE information pack also says that:

'If you do not have, or cannot obtain a copy of your law school handbook for the
appropriate period, you should arrange for your law school to send photocopies of the title page
and relevant pages (degree structure and course descriptions) of the current or relevant
Handbook, accompanied by a letter from the Dean of the Law Faculty, or other suitably
authorised person, stating the substantial similarity and differences between the current
provisions and those that were in force during your studies.'

Hope this helps.

Have you already sent your document for the assessment? I am interested in any suggestions that you may have for making the application.