The Family Law Specialist Accreditation Program
Since 1992, the Law Society has offered Specialist Accreditation in the area of Family Law. The Specialist Accreditation program 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 Law Accredited Specialist logo to use on their marketing material.
To become a 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 of 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.
- Provide three (3) completed Referee Reports in support of your application.
- Successfully complete the Specialist Accreditation assessment program.
To maintain accreditation, 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 ten (10) Specialist CPD units each CPD year.
- Complete the annual Prescribed Accreditation Renewal Form.
- Comply with the terms of the Accreditation Rules 2026.
Downloads:
- List of Current Family Law Accredited Specialists
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2025/2026
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2024/2025
- Accreditation Rules 2026
- National Mutual Recognition Policy
- Accreditation Committee Terms of Reference
- Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee Terms of Reference
Future Family Law Specialist Accreditation Assessment Program
The Law Society will announce details of the future Family Law Specialist Accreditation Assessment program in due course.
It is recommended that prospective applicants consider the documents located under ‘Downloads‘ particularly the 2025 Specialist Accreditation Guidelines – Family Law.
Fee
- 2025 Application Fee: $1500
Specialist CPD Requirements
An Accredited Specialist must complete annually a minimum of ten (10) Specialist CPD units per CPD year.
Consider Rule 4.3 and Rule 4.4 of the Accreditation Rules 2026 and the lists of Specialist CPD activities previously approved.
If you have any further questions about the Specialist Accreditation program, please email accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au.
National 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 deal with clients from those States; and/or
- Relocate their practice to a State different from that of their original accreditation.