Types and Terms of Membership

Guide Notes

1. The College has 3 membership categories –
   • Fellow
   • Academic member
   • Member
2. A person is eligible to be admitted as a Fellow if the relevant section of paragraph 9.1 of its Constitution is satisfied being;
   1. they are a legal practitioner of no less than 5 years standing admitted to practice in a state  or territory of Australia; and
   2. they have satisfied the Council that they have:
      1. completed a course of study approved by the Council as a specialist course in the Discipline; and
      2. been engaged in specialist practice of the Discipline for not less than 5 years; or
   3. the Council is satisfied on its own motion have on such evidence and enquiry it determines, they been engaged in specialist practice of the Discipline for not less than 5 years and are readily regarded by their peers a specialist practitioner of the Discipline and that it is inappropriate in the circumstances to require them to complete a specialist course of study approved by the Council as a specialist course in the discipline.
      An applicant who is not designated a Fellow under paragraph 9.1(c) may be designated a Fellow if they satisfy paragraphs 9.1(a) and (b).
3. A person is eligible to be admitted as an Academic Member if –
   1. they are a legal academic of no less than 5 years standing in a publicly recognised school of law in Australia; and
   2. they have satisfied the Council that they have:
      1. been regularly engaged in academic research, writing, lecturing or consulting associated with the Discipline for not less than 5 years; and
      2. are readily regarded by their peers as academics knowledgeable in the Discipline.
4. A person is eligible to be admitted as a Member if –
   1. they are a legal practitioner of no less than 3 years standing admitted to  practice in a state or territory of Australia, or any overseas common law jurisdiction acceptable to the Council; and
   2. they have satisfied the Council that they are currently engaged in practice of the Discipline in their home jurisdiction in a significant way.
5. “Discipline” is defined to mean the law and practice associated with common interest subdivisions (i.e. subdivisions involving lots and common property whether or not a body corporate is established to administer the common property).
6. Applicants should complete the application form in every respect, sign it and submit it to the College with a cheque for the entry fee and the first year’s membership fee (or half that membership fee if the application post dates 30 June).  In the case of applicants for membership as a fellow or for academic membership, the Referees’ Reports should be independently completed by the Referees and submitted by them direct to the College.  The Referees’ Reports are confidential between the Referees and the College.

Membership fees