The Family Law Specialist Accreditation Programme
The Law Society offers Specialist Accreditation in the area of Family Law. The Specialist Accreditation programme provides family law practitioners the opportunity to be recognised formally as having an enhanced level of competency in their field, a high standard of professionalism, and a commitment to ongoing expertise development through continuing legal education. Family Law Accredited Specialists are provided with the Family Accredited Specialist logo and branding to use on their marketing material.
To become an Family Law Accredited Specialist, you must:
- Be a current financial member of the Law Society of Western Australia
- Hold a current practising certificate
- Have at least five years full time experience in the practice of law
- Have had substantial involvement (no less than 25%) in the practice of family law over at least the preceding three years
- Provided the names of three referees in support of your application
- Successfully complete the Specialist Accreditation assessment programme
In order to continue to remain accredited, you must:
- Be a current financial member of the Law Society of Western Australia
- Hold a current practising certificate
- Pay the prescribed annual fee as it falls due
- Complete a minimum of 10 CLE points in approved accreditation activities each year
- Complete the re-accreditation application every three years
Downloads:
- List of Current Family Law Accredited Specialists
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2024/2025
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2023/2024
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2022/2023
- Points Request Form
- Accreditation Booklet
- National Mutual Recognition Policy
- Application for Re-Accreditation
- Schedule A: Statement of Attendance for Year Ending 31 March 2024
- Schedule B: Undertaking of Attendance for Year Ending 31 March 2024
- Accreditation Committee Terms of Reference
- Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee Terms of Reference
Family Law Specialist Accreditation Assessment Programme
The Family Law Specialist Accreditation assessment programme is run every two years.
Please note the timetable for the 2025 Family Law Specialist Accreditation assessment programme is to be confirmed in early 2025. The programme will consist of the following:
- Date TBA – Accreditation Assessment Information Session, Parts 1 & 2.
- Date TBA – Accreditation Assessment Information Session, Part 3.
- Date TBA – Applications close.
- Date TBA – Part 1: Mock File released.
- Date TBA – Part 2: Written Examination
- Date TBA – Part 3: Simulated Client Interview
- Date TBA – Results sent to candidates.
It is recommended that prospective applicants consider the documents located under ‘Downloads’ particularly the Accredited Specialisation Application Guidelines 2023.
To express interest in the 2025 Specialist Accreditation Programme for Family Law, please email accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au
Downloads:
- Application for Accreditation Specialist Exam 2023
- Accredited Specialisation Application Guidelines 2023
- Accredited Specialisation Performance Standards
- Application for the Committee’s Discretion – for candidates who do not meet the application eligibility criteria
- Simulated Client Interview – PowerPoint Presentation
Approved Accreditation Activities
Accreditation Activities approved by the Law Society’s Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee for the claiming of Accreditation CLE points are linked in the downloads section of this page.
If you wish to submit an activity for the Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee’s approval please complete the Family Law Request for Points form and send it with supporting documentation to accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au. Requests for points should be submitted 14 days prior to each monthly Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee meeting.
If you have any further questions about the Specialist Accreditation programme, please email accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au.
Disclaimer: The Law Society does not warrant or guarantee the work undertaken by any firm or individual listed or provided and is not liable in relation to any aspect of legal services they may provide to you.
Mutual Recognition
The Law Societies in each jurisdiction have worked together to develop a framework for a national Mutual Recognition Policy that enables practitioners to have their accreditation gained in one State recognised in another state in certain circumstances.
If a practitioner moves interstate or is currently required to service clients in more than one State, they may be eligible to have their Family Law Specialist Accreditation recognised both here in Western Australia and in other States in which they are practising.
The Specialist Accreditation Mutual Recognition Policy has been designed to cater for legal practitioners who:
- practise in two or more States and who deal with clients from those States, and/ or
- relocate their practice to a State different to that of their original accreditation.
