www.nzcle.org.nz

New Zealand Council of Legal Education

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Christmas Closedown

The Council will be closed on 20 December 2024 and will reopen on 13 January 2025.

Stale Qualifications application division will stop processing applications from 18 December 2024. Any applications currently in progress at 18 December will be placed on hold until we return on 13 January 2025. Any Stale Applications received after 18 December will be processed once we return on 13 January 2025.

Please note, although the standard application time takes forty (40) business days, the period between 20 December and 13 January will not be recognised as business days.

Stale Qualifications

In any case where a ‘qualification for admission’ is more than 10 years old at the time that a candidate for admission applies to the NZCLE for a completion certificate, the NZCLE may, in its discretion, assess such qualification, and may impose further study or training on the candidate.

For New Zealand LLB degree holders, a ‘qualification for admission’ means a New Zealand LLB (or LLB with Hons), any subject of examination (i.e. core subjects), a university course in Legal Ethics, the Professional Legal Studies Course.

For overseas graduates or lawyers, a ‘qualification for admission’ means in respect of any determination issued to such person in relation to an application for assessment, any degree subject, the New Zealand Law and Practice Examination, legal ethics course, practical legal training course or English requirement prescribed by NZCLE pursuant to that determination.

If any of the following LLB core subjects were completed before 2014, you must make a stale application:

• The Legal System
• Legal Ethics
• Public Law
• Contracts
• Torts
• Criminal Law
• Property law (or Land Law and Equity and Succession)
  

Please click here for more information and a staleness assessment application form.