The Wills and Estates Specialist Accreditation Programme
The Law Society, in collaboration with the Law Institute of Victoria (LIV), is running a pilot Specialist Accreditation assessment programme for Wills and Estates Law in 2025.
The Specialist Accreditation programme will provide wills and estates 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. Wills and Estates Accredited Specialists will be provided with the Wills and Estates Accredited Specialist logo and branding to use on their marketing material.
To become a Wills and Estates 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 Wills and Estates for 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
Wills and Estates Specialist Accreditation Assessment Programme
The timetable for the 2025 Specialist Accreditation assessment programme will be confirmed in early 2025. The programme will consist of the following:
- Date TBA – Accreditation Assessment Information Session
- Date TBA – Applications close
- Date TBA – Part 1: Written Examination
- Date TBA – Part 2: Simulated Client Interview
- Date TBA – Part 3: Take Home Assignment
- Date TBA – Results sent to candidates
For further information see the LIV website here and, for guidance only, the LIV 2024 Accredited Specialisation Assessment Guidelines Wills and Estates. The Law Society’s Wills and Estates Specialist Accreditation Assessment Guidelines will be available shortly.
To express interest in the 2025 Specialist Accreditation Programme for Wills and Estates, please email accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au.
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 Wills and Estates 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 deal with clients from those States, and/ or
- Relocate their practice to a State different to that of their original accreditation.
