About LPAB

The Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) is responsible for:

• determining the eligibility and suitability of people seeking to be admitted as a lawyer in NSW

• accrediting academic law courses and practical legal training courses in NSW

• registering, enrolling and examining students in the Board's Diploma in Law course

• appointing public notaries in NSW, and

• maintaining the Roll of Lawyers and the Roll of Public Notaries in NSW.

The LPAB is a self-funding statutory corporation constituted by the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014.  It is supported in the exercise of its functions by a number of Committees and Sub-Committees, as shown in the chart below.

The Board

Schedule 3 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 provides that the Board is to consist of 11 members, being--

(a) the Chief Justice of New South Wales, and

(b) 3 Judges of the Supreme Court for the time being nominated by the Chief Justice of New South Wales, and

(c) the Attorney General or a person for the time being nominated by the Attorney General, and

(d) 2 persons for the time being nominated by the Council of Australian Law Deans, being members from New South Wales, and

(e) 2 barristers for the time being nominated by the Bar Council, and

(f) 2 solicitors for the time being nominated by the Law Society Council.

The Chief Justice may nominate a Presiding Member and Deputy Presiding Member.

The current members of the Board are:

• The Honourable Andrew S Bell AC, Chief Justice of New South Wales
• The Honourable Justice Anthony Payne (Presiding Member)
• The Honourable Justice Jeremy Kirk (Deputy Presiding Member)
• The Honourable Justice Peter Brereton
• Mr Mark Follett (nominated by the Attorney General)
• Mr Julian Sexton SC (nominated by the Bar Council)
• Mr Patrick Knowles SC (nominated by the Bar Council)
• Mr Wen T'sai-Lim  (nominated by the Law Society Council)
• Ms Jennifer Ball  (nominated by the Law Society Council)
• Professor Andrew Lynch (nominated by CALD)
• Professor Lise Barry  (nominated by CALD)

Reserve members may be nominated for the Board.  There are no nominated reserve members.

The Legal Qualifications Committee

Pursuant to Rule 15 of the NSW Admission Board Rules 2015, the Board has established a Legal Qualifications Committee.  The committee comprises:

• three Judges nominated by the Chief Justice;
• three Barristers nominated by the Bar Council, 
• three Solicitors nominated by the Law Society Council:
• three Professors of Law or full-time Law Lecturers nominated by the Committee of NSW Law Deans; and
• up to three persons co-opted by the committee.  

The current members of the committee are:

• The Honourable Justice Edward Muston  (Chairperson), nominated by the Chief Justice   
• The Honourable Justice Richard Cavanagh  (Deputy Chairperson), nominated by the Chief Justice
• The Honourable Justice James Emmett, nominated by the Chief Justice
• Ms Claire Palmer,  nominated by the Bar Council
• Mr Shanaka Jayasuriya,  nominated by the Bar Council
• Ms Zelie Heger SC, nominated by the Bar Council
• Ms Jacqueline Dawson,  nominated by the Law Society Council
• Mr Brett McGrath,  nominated by the Law Society Council
• Ms Cassandra Banks, nominated by the Law Society Council
• Professor Gerard Ryan, nominated by New South Wales law deans
• Dr Allison Silink, nominated by New South Wales law deans
• Dr Andrew Burke, nominated by New South Wales law deans
• Dr Gordon Elkington, appointed by co-option
• Mr Greg Ross, appointed by co-option 

The Examinations Committee

Pursuant to Rule 27 of the NSW Admission Board Rules 2015, the Board has established an Examinations Committee.  The committee comprises:

• two Judges nominated by the Chief Justice;
• one Barrister nominated by the Bar Council;
• one Solicitor nominated by the Law Society Council;
• the Director of the Law Extension Committee;
• two Examiners appointed by the Chairperson of the Examinations Committee; and
• up to two persons co-opted by the committee.   

The current members of the committee are:

• The Honourable Justice Elisabeth Peden (Chairperson), nominated by the Chief Justice
• The Honourable Justice Nicholas Chen (Deputy Chairperson), nominated by the Chief Justice
• Mr Michael Christie SC,  nominated by the Bar Council
• Mr Angelo Bilias,  nominated by the Law Society Council
• Her Honour Judge Miko Kumar, Examiner appointed by the Chairperson under Rule 27A(e)
• Mr Ross Anderson, Examiner appointed by the Chairperson of the Committee
• Mr John Dobson, appointed by co-option by the Committee
• Professor David Rolph,  appointed by co-option by the Committee
• The Honourable Justice Ian Pike, Ex-officio appointment