How to Choose the Right PLT for You
Choosing a Practical Legal Training (PLT) provider is more than just a requirement, it’s a crucial step in launching your legal career. The right PLT doesn’t just tick a box for admission; it immerses you in real-world legal practice, building the skills, confidence and practical experience you need from day one.
Here’s what to look for in a PLT and how Leo Cussen measures up in each of these key areas.
1. Does the Program Prepare You for Real Legal Practice?
What to Look For:
- A program that simulates real legal work and not just isolated tasks.
- Hands-on experience where you manage entire client matters from start to finish.
Training in key skills like drafting legal documents, client communication, advocacy, and case strategy.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
At Leo Cussen, you train in a simulated law firm setting, handling real-life legal scenarios just as you would in practice. You’ll develop skills in:
✔ Case strategy and client advice
✔ Negotiation and advocacy
✔ Drafting and managing legal documents
Why This Matters:
Many PLT providers only cover isolated tasks with limited real-world context. At Leo Cussen, you’ll learn how to run an entire client matter, so you enter the profession feeling confident and prepared.
2. Will You Receive Personalised Support?
What to Look For:
- Small class sizes that allow for personalised feedback and mentoring
- Direct access to practising legal professionals who can guide you through real challenges and provide you first-hand insights into life as a lawyer.
- A supportive learning environment where you’re not just a number.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
At Leo Cussen, you train in a simulated law firm setting, handling real-life legal scenarios just as you would in practice. You’ll develop skills in:
✔ 1:24 Student-to-Instructor Ratio – Meaning more one-on-one time with mentors.
✔ Individualised Mentoring – Receive tailored guidance from practising legal professionals, not just legal educators.
✔ A Close-Knit Community – Our supportive environment ensures that every student is seen, heard and supported.
Why This Matters:
Other PLT providers can have student-to-instructor ratios as high as 1:62. This makes it difficult to get individual feedback and hands-on support, which are crucial for developing your legal skills.
"I cannot flaw the Leo team in any way from start to finish. Every person I dealt with was helpful, giving and amazingly understanding"
3. Is there Professional Placement Support?
What to Look For:
- A structured and supported work placement program.
- Industry connections that help secure valuable placements.
- Flexibility to either have a placement arranged or personal support to help you find your own placement.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
✔ Guaranteed Work Placement Option – Take the stress out of finding a placement.
✔ Strong Legal Industry Connections – Placement opportunities with leading law firms and organisations across the nation.
✔ Flexible Approach – If you’d like to find your own placement, we support you every step of the way.
Why This Matters:
Many PLT providers only cover isolated tasks with limited real-world context. At Leo Cussen, you’ll learn how to run an entire client matter, so you enter the profession feeling confident and prepared.
4. How Much Practical Training is Included?
What to Look For:
- More interactive, hands-on training – including live workshops, group activities and mentor support, ensuring an engaging experience regardless of learning mode.
- Workshops that allow you to practise key legal skills like advocacy and negotiation.
- A program that goes beyond written assessments and focuses on real-world legal practice.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
10 Days of Fully Immersive, Hands-On Training – Double the amount of practical training compared to many other PLT providers.
✔ Advocacy and court appearances
✔ Negotiation and dispute resolution
✔ Client communication and file management
Why This Matters:
Many PLT providers focus on academic-style assessments rather than hands-on legal practice. Leo Cussen ensures you graduate ready to practise law, not just pass a test.
"Leo Cussen's PLT is an extremely hands on practical experience that emulates all the work you will likely be required to do in a law firm"
5. Are You Getting Real Value for Your Investment?
What to Look For:
- Clear, upfront pricing with no hidden fees.
- Payment options for students who don’t have access to FEE-HELP.
- A high-quality PLT that provides real value – not just the cheapest option.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
✔ Transparent Pricing – No unexpected costs.
✔ Flexible Payment Plans – One of the only PLT providers offering payment plans for students without FEE-HELP.
✔ Full Sponsorship for Humanitarian Visa Holders – Breaking down financial barriers.
Why This Matters:
A cheaper PLT can mean fewer practical learning opportunities, less individualised mentoring and support. Your PLT is an investment in your legal career, so don’t compromise on quality. At Leo Cussen, we ensure you graduate career-ready, confident and have the skills to succeed from day one.
6. Will you be prepared to launch your career with confidence?
What to Look For:
- A program that ensures you feel confident entering the legal profession.
- High graduate satisfaction and employer recognition.
How Leo Cussen Delivers:
✔ 97% of 2024 graduates feel confident to enter the legal profession.
✔ 100% Course Satisfaction Rate in 2024 – Proof that our practical approach works.
✔ Highly Respected by Law Firms – Our graduates are career-ready and in demand.
Why This Matters:
Some PLT programs are seen as just a requirement to qualify. At Leo Cussen, you develop the skills, confidence and industry connections to excel in your legal career.
Why Choose Leo Cussen?
✔ Immersive, hands-on training in a simulated law firm environment.
✔ Guaranteed work placements with leading legal organisations and firms.
✔ One-on-one mentoring from practising legal professionals.
✔ Small class sizes for personalised support and feedback.
✔ Transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
✔ A strong industry reputation that law firms trust.
Be Ready for Legal Practice from Day One.
Got Questions? Book A Chat With Us
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2024 PLT Program Fees
PLT Placement FAQ’s
Everything you need to know about completing your professional placement as part of your PLT
Placements carried out as part of the Leo Cussen PLT are 15 days (105 hours) in all states except WA where they are 20 days (140 hours) in length. Graduates must successfully complete the Placement in order to complete the PLT and to be eligible
to apply for admission to the legal profession. Graduates must ensure that they carry out at least two days (or four half-days) of work experience per week during the Placement period.
Depending on your circumstances and availability we can assist you to find an arrangement that works for you.
Before the course census date, Graduates must notify Leo Cussen whether they wish to organise their own Placement, or have their Placement organised by Leo Cussen.
Graduates who elect to organise their own placement must seek approval from Leo Cussen by submitting a Placement Arrangement Form prior to commencing the Placement. If you need assistance win self-organising a placement, our placement and careers team are on hand to help.
Graduates who elect to have their Placement organised by Leo Cussen must agree to the terms and conditions of that service.
All Leo Cussen organised placements run full-time at the end of your program. If you wish to complete a self-organised placement this can be part-time and we will be available throughout your program to help and advise you on this.
There are specific date periods during which placements are available. Placement periods can be found on the Program Dates & Fees page of
the Leo Cussen website, or you will be notified of the placement period options prior to census date.
You must choose a placement period that commences after the conclusion of your PLT program; you cannot choose a placement period
that falls prior to, or during, your PLT program. We endeavour to offer placement periods that begin no more than 4 weeks after the
conclusion of your coursework.
Leo Cussen will find you a placement within the metropolitan area of the Australian capital city of your choice. You can ask Leo Cussen to
also consider placements outside of Australian capital cities (i.e.regional Australia), but we cannot guarantee this. You will be given
the opportunity to provide your location preferences which we will consider.
Graduates are supervised by a person who:
- has at least three years of post-admission experience practising law; and
- is admitted to the legal profession; and
- holds a current practising certificate; and
- is currently practising law; and
- is currently of good standing in the legal profession.
- b) Alternatively, a Supervisor may be a judge or magistrate of an Australian court, or member of an Australian tribunal.
There is a fee payable for Leo Cussen to source a placement for you
(‘placement fee’). Fee information can be found on the Program Dates
& Fees page of the Leo Cussen website.
The placement fee can be put on FEE-HELP for eligible students who choose this option prior to the census date for their program intake.
If you initially elected to have your placement sourced by Leo Cussen, and now wish to source your own, the placement fee is
non-refundable.
If you initially elected to source your own placement, and now wish to have it sourced by Leo Cussen, we cannot guarantee to
find you a placement however we will do our best to assist you with options. If it is determined that we can source you a
placement, you will need to pay the placement fee.
Still got questions? You can contact us – we’re here to help!
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