Apply for Specialist Accreditation

To be eligible to apply to undertake a Specialist Accreditation Programs at the Queensland Law Society you must satisfy the following requirements:

• be a full member of Queensland Law Society or for persons engaged in legal practice as a government legal officer, be an Associate member of the Society
• hold a current practising certificate in Australia or be engaged in legal practice as a Government Legal Officer engaged in government work
• have been engaged in legal practice as a Solicitor (i.e. not including pre-admission experience) or as a government legal officer on a full-time basis for a minimum of five (5) consecutive years (or equivalent experience) by 1 January in the year of the relevant program *
• in each of the three years immediately preceding the year of the relevant program, whether working full-time or part-time, have practised in the area of law for which accreditation is sought for not less than 25% of full-time practice (i.e. 2.5 days per fortnight)
• satisfy the Board that you possess a sufficient level of Queensland jurisdiction specific experience (if required for your area of practice)

The Board may consider discretionary applications by Applicants who due to parental leave or other extenuating circumstances:

• cannot meet the consecutive nature of the five-year full-time requirement.  Please note: solicitors with less than five years full time (or equivalent experience) post admission experience are not eligible to apply for Specialist Accreditation
• cannot meet the requirement that the three years of practice experience in the area of accreditation be in the three years immediately preceding the year of the relevant program.

* Change to eligibility criteria

The Council of the Queensland Law Society and the Specialist Accreditation Board have resolved that 2026 will be a transition year into the new eligibility requirements.  

For 2026 programs only, applicants that have been engaged in legal practice as a Solicitor (i.e. not including pre-admission experience) on a full-time basis for a minimum of five (5) consecutive years (or equivalent experience) by 20 March 2026 will be eligible to apply. 

Applicants must also in each of the three years immediately preceding 2026 have practised in the area of law for which accreditation is sought for not less than 25% of full-time practice (i.e. 2.5 days per fortnight).

The board’s discretion will only be exercised in relation to the consecutive nature of the five-year full-time requirement, or the requirement for the three years of specialist practice to have immediately preceded 2026.