1

Legal Practitioners Admissions Board
Strategic Plan 2012 – 2016
Our Vision
The Board aims to support the judiciary, the legal profession, and the public interest by ensuring the integrity of those entering the legal profession, and safeguarding the educational and practical legal training standards of the legal profession. / Our Purpose
The Board’s purpose under the Legal Profession Act 2007 (Qld) is to assist the Supreme Court by making a recommendation about each application for admission as a Lawyer in Queensland. In doing so, the Board considers whether an application is made under the Supreme Court (Admission) Rules 2004, whether an applicant is eligible and suitable for admission, and whether there are other matters the Court may consider relevant to the application. / Our Values
  • Integrity
  • Accountability
  • Respect
  • Maintaining standards
  • Supporting the legal profession

Our Strategic Challenges and Risks
  • Increasing numbers of persons seeking to enter the legal profession
  • Ensuring the integrity of those seeking to practice within the legal profession
/
  • Ensuring maintenance of standards of educational institutions and practical legal training providers according to national requirements
  • Community concerns as to level of integrity within the legal profession
/
  • National uniformity and consistency within the admission process and legal profession
  • Reducing costs through efficient and effective use of resources

Our Objectives and Strategies
OBJECTIVE ONE 1 Revitalise processes for dealing with admission applicationsby investing in projects that deliver more efficient and cost-effective procedures while maintaining the integrity of the admission process
Board Strategy / Actions / Performance Measures / Resources
Revitalise processes by investing in projects thatdeliver more efficient and cost-effective procedures /
  1. Review and upgrade Admission Information kits to improve comprehensiveness of information available to applicants seeking admission
/ (a)Perform further review and update content of 1stAdmission Information kit by 30 June 2013
(b)Conduct pilot trial of reviewed content and seek feedback from applicants by 31 March 2014
(c)Collate feedback from applicants by 30 June 2014
(d)Submit feedback received from applicants to Board for noting by 31 December 2014
(e)Update Admission Information kit based on feedback received from applicants by 30 September 2014
(f)Publish upgraded Admission Information kit on internet by 31 December 2014
(g)Review 2nd Admission Information kit in accordance with above steps by 30 June 2016
(h)Review 3rd Admission Information kit in accordance with above steps by 30 June 2016 / LPAB Department
QLS IT Department
  1. Provide support for and facilitate implementation of Supreme Court proposed on-line admission project to facilitate more efficient and cost-effective processing of applications for admission
/ (a)Liaise with Supreme Court in relation to revivingthe online admission project by 31 October 2012
(b)Identify changes necessary to facilitate online admission processes and materials required by 31 March 2013
(c)Liaise with Supreme Court in relation to re-reviving online admission project
(d)If online admission project re-revived, identify changes necessary to facilitate online admission processes and materials required
(e)If on-line admission project revived, develop plan to implement changes and prepare required materials to be available and completed within 3 months of proposed ‘go live’ date
(f)If on-line admission project revived, submit plan to Board for noting within 6 months of proposed ‘go live’ date
(g)If on-line admission project revived, commence implementation of plan within 8 months of proposed ‘go live’ date / LPAB Department
QLS IT Department
Supreme Court
  1. Review and improve internal procedures to:
(a)deliver services to applicants in a more efficient and cost-effective manner;
(b)continue maintaining the integrity of the admission process; and
(c)reduce and limit risks to the Board. / (a)Review and amend internal procedures to provide more efficient and cost-effective services by 30 June 2015
(b)Commence implementation of plan by 30 June 2016 / LPAB Department
OBJECTIVE TWO 2 Safeguard standards and ensure adequacy of legal education and practical legal training required of entry-level lawyers, and streamlineregulationof legal courses offered by Queensland tertiary institutions
Board Strategy / Actions / Performance Measures / Resources
Safeguardstandards and ensure adequacy of legal education and practical legal training to those seeking admission to the legal profession while streamlining regulation /
  1. Develop and implement streamlined review program for current legal education and practical legal training courses to ensure adequacy and safeguard standards of education and training required of entry-level lawyers
/ (a)Liaise with interstate admitting authorities and LACCas tocurrentreview programs by 30 June 2013 to reduce duplication and ensure uniformity on a national basis
(b)Review interstate programs to identify if any informationshould be included in/removed from program by 31December 2013
(c)Prepare submission to Board regarding available programs, etc., with recommendation by 30 June 2014
(d)Develop forms to be completed and accompanying information detailing process and timeliness for provision to universities and PLT providers by 30 June 2015
(e)Submit forms and accompanying information to Board for input by 31July 2015
(f)Provide forms and accompanying information to one university and one PLT provider to obtain input into program by 31August 2015
(g)Fine tune program in accordance with suggestions of university and PLT provider where relevant by 31 December 2015
(h)Submit finalised program to Board for approval by 30 March 2016
(i)Develop implementation plan for program by 30 June 2016 / LPAB Department
External stakeholders
  1. Develop and implement streamlined monitoring program to monitor current legal education and practical legal training courses required of entry-level lawyers
/ (a)Liaise with interstate admitting authorities and LACC as tocurrentmonitoring programs by 30 June 2013 to reduce duplication and ensure uniformity on a national basis
(b)Review interstate programs to identify if any information should be included in/removed from program by 31 December 2013
(c)Prepare submission to Board regarding available programs, etc. with recommendation by 30 June 2014
(d)Develop forms to be completed and accompanying information detailing process by 30 June 2015
(e)Submit forms and accompanying information to Board for input by 31 July 2015
(f)Provide forms and accompanying information to one university and one PLT provider to obtain input into program by 31 August 2015
(g)Fine tune monitoring program in accordance with suggestions of university and PLT provider where applicable by 31 December 2015
(h)Submit finalised program to Board for approval by 30 March 2016
(i)Develop implementation plan for program by 30 June 2016 / LPAB Department
External stakeholders
OBJECTIVE THREE 3 Improve complianceand accountabilityby discharging statutory obligations and improving governance
Board Strategy / Actions / Performance Measures / Resources
Discharge statutory obligations and improve governance /
  1. Develop Policy and Code of Conduct required under Public Interest Disclosure legislation
/ (a)Develop Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Code of Conduct by 30 September 2012
(b)Submit Public Interest Disclosure and Code of Conduct to Board for approval by 31 November 2013
(c)Publish Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Code of Conduct on internet by 31 December 2013 / LPAB Department
  1. Finalise development and implementation of Right to Information Act and Information Privacy Act legislative reforms
/ (a)Finalise preparation of relevant documentation where necessary by 31 December 2012
(b)Submit documentation to Board for approval by 31January 2013
(c)Publish relevant documentation on QLS website where required by 31 December 2013 / LPAB Department
  1. Review, update, and maintain Risk Management Plan and Register on biannual and annual basis by 30 June 2013 and 31 December 2013
/ (a)Review Risk Management Plan and Register by 30 June and 31 December each year
(b)Update and maintain Risk Management Plan and Register by 30 June and 31 December each year / LPAB Department