November 17, 2014
Law lecturer appointed to national law admission committee
Senior law lecturer Mr John Littrich was recently appointed as the NSW representative for the National Legal Services Council’s Admissions Committee, a new national body tasked with developing and overseeing regulations governing the admission of lawyers in Australia.
The Committee will carry on a decision made in 2013 between NSW and Victoria to pass uniform legislation governing the legal profession.
The Admissions Committee follows the introduction of Legal Profession Uniform Law by both NSW and Victoria as the two states push to see the establishment of national uniform regulations for admission to the legal profession. Ultimately, the Committee hopes to be able to end the confusion and inconsistency that currently exists with each state and territory having its own process.
“For almost a decade now, the legal profession in Australia has been moving toward uniform legislation dealing with admission to the legal profession, the conduct of legal practice and the complaint and disciplinary process,” Mr Littrich said, adding that he hopes other Australian states and territories will follow NSW and Victoria’s lead.
Mr Littrich, who is also Discipline Leader: Clinical Legal Education and Professional Engagement, will sit on the Admissions Committee with two Supreme Court Judges as well as senior academics and lawyers. Mr Littrich's existing knowledge of the legal framework governing the legal profession will be an asset for the Committee. Much of Mr Littrich's knowledge has been acquired through his work with Professor Ainslie Lamb AM, co-authoring the book Lawyers In Australia to teach students about legal ethics and the legal profession. The book is a prescribed text at UOW and other universities. A decade of teaching in the UOW Professional Legal Training Program has also made Mr Littrich familiar with admission requirements and the national competency standards that would-be lawyers need to meet for entry to the profession.
“It was an honour to be appointed and it’s exciting to think that I can contribute to what is a historical development in the history of the legal profession in Australia,” he said.
Dean of Law Professor Warwick Gullett said the broad goals of the uniform legislation include simplification and standardisation of the regulatory obligations imposed on lawyers and more consistent and satisfying experiences for consumers of legal services through improved consumer information, rights and remedies.
“Mr Littrich’s appointment to this distinguished and important committee recognises his experience as a former practising lawyer in Wollongong and Kiama and his expertise as a leading academic committed to teaching students about professional standards,” Professor Gullett said.