Law Student Programs 

Legal Services Commission of South Australia offers two programs in which law students can participate:

• a Summer Clerkship program, and
• a Practical Legal Training program.

Summer Clerkship Program

The 2024 Summer Clerkship ran from 29 January to 23 February 2024.

Legal Services is a member of the joint SA Law Student Associations' Uniform Clerkship Scheme.

Applications for the 2025 Summer Clerkship program will open Monday, 1 July 2024  at 9.00 am and will be advertised on our Current Vacancies page.

Aims

The aims of the Summer Clerkship program include:

• assist law students to develop professional knowledge and skills within a legal environment
• encourage law students to consider a career in the legal assistance sector, and
• provide the Commission with the opportunity to recruit suitable, trained and qualified Indigenous and non-Indigenous lawyers.

About the Summer Clerkship Program 

The Summer Clerkship program is a structured program which includes training and development, as well as placement within all of the Commission's practice areas (Criminal Law, Family Law, Civil Law and Legal Information and Advice) and other areas such as the Grants team. Students are supervised and supported throughout the program. Summer Clerk positions at Legal Services are paid positions.

Legal Services offers up to six Summer Clerk positions, at least two of which are prioritised for Indigenous law students and those who identify has having disability. Indigenous and non-Indigenous law students are encouraged to apply.

Timing

Summer Clerkships normally commence in the last week of January each year. The program is offered over four weeks, on a full-time basis.

The 2025 Summer Clerkship will run from Tuesday, 28 January to Friday, 21 February 2025.

Selection Process

We use a combination of telephone and face-to-face interviews for short-listed candidates.

Enquiries

Please direct enquiries to Legal Education Officer, Hannah Millard, at hannah.millard@lsc.sa.gov.au. 

Practical Legal Training Program

Legal Services Commission typically offers two to three PLT placement blocks each year.

About the PLT Program

Students are able to complete a Practical Legal Training placement (PLT) with Legal Services as part of their Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (GDLP).

From 2024 Legal Services PLT Placements blocks will be three weeks full-time (or 105 hours). We cannot accomodate requests for part-time placements.

PLT students will be placed in any of the following divisions of the Legal Services Commission in accordance with capacity and availablity of supervisors to provide a quality placement experience:

• Criminal Law
• Family Law
• Civil Law
• Legal Information and Advice

If students have a preference as to the division in which they undertake their placement, this should be indicated in their application. All effort will be made to match the student with their preferred area of law, however, this cannot be guaranteed.

Dates

The dates for PLT placement blocks in 2024 will be confirmed soon.

Application Process

Only students who are currently undertaking their PLT/GDLP are eligible.

Application dates for the 2024 PLT Placement blocks will be advertised soon.

Applications can be made directly to the Legal Services Commission during the application period and must include the following:

• Cover letter
• Cirriculum Vitae (including contact details of at least two current referees)
• Academic Transcript

Selection Process

We select students for PLT based on the written applications. We do not conduct interviews for PLT placements.

Enquiries

Please direct enquiries to Legal Edcuation Officer, Hannah Millard at hannah.millard@lsc.sa.gov.au.