Starting a law practice

Before starting a law practice in Victoria you must hold a principal's practising certificate and receive an entity number — both issued by the Victorian Legal Services Board.

You must also arrange professional insurance with LPLC if the practice is one of the following:

• a sole practitioner establishing a new law practice
• a new law firm comprising two or more partners
• a new incorporated legal practice.

If the new law practice is, in substance, the continuation of an existing practice under a revised structure, you should contact LPLC to discuss whether the existing practice's insurance will apply to the new practice.

If your practice will be conducted wholly outside Victoria, your insurance must be arranged through the approved insurer of the state or territory where the practice resides.

Download and complete an application for insurance and email it to us at [email protected].

Once the application has been processed and the premium payment received, LPLC will issue a Certificate of Currency for the new law practice.

You must provide your entity number, as issued by the Victorian Legal Services Board, on the form in order for LPLC to process your application for cover.

You can provide a copy of the Certificate of Currency to the Victorian Legal Services Board when applying to register a new practice.

If you have any questions your application for insurance please contact us.

Your premium will depend on your expected gross fee income for the remainder of the insurance year.

Go to our solicitor premiums page for more information about premiums.