All lawyers wishing to practise on their own account, whether alone or in partnership or in an incorporated practice, and some in-house counsel, will be required to complete the course. To complete Stepping Up you must do approximately 50 hours of self-directed distance learning and workshop preparation and then attend a two and a half day workshop. Please note that before you attend the workshop you must sign an undertaking that you have completed all the distance learning and preparatory work. There are five courses offered in 2018. However, there is no guarantee of acceptance to any particular course as maximum numbers apply to each session.
	Stepping Up - due diligence Many graduates of Stepping Up wish they had considered the implications of practising on own account, in whatever form, before they did Stepping Up. We’ve got something to help you with that – our own series of videos called So you are thinking of practising on own account? Click here for more information
	Topping Up Stepping Up Topping Up Stepping Up is a revision course for practitioners who have previously completed Stepping Up satisfactorily, but who have not commenced practice on their own account within the required two years of the expiry date. Click here for more information

Learning objectives

Stepping Up is a major building block in the Society’s competence and professional development programme.
You will:

• Be better able to run the business of a law practice.
• Be qualified to assume responsibility for the obligations of the practice.
• Understand and be able to more confidently apply the relevant Rules of Conduct and Client Care.
• Understand the principles and rules of trust accounting.

Those lawyers who wish to practise on their own and run a trust account will also have to complete the Trust Account
Supervisors’ course.

Applying to practise on your own account

Stepping Up is a compulsory prerequisite for lawyers applying to be barristers sole.
Stepping Up is the first step in the process towards qualifying to practise on your own account. If you do not commence practice on own account within two years from the date you completed Stepping Up, the qualification lapses. When you intend to practise on your own account you should make a formal application to your local NZLS branch. The relevant information is available on the NZLS website – see here.

The process of application to practise on own account takes six to eight weeks. This is to allow time for your name to be advertised to the profession, for you to attend an interview (if required) and for reference checks to be made.

Materials

Course Director

• Warwick Deuchrass

Pre-course work

• Download the electronic version of all Answer sections here

Observation Report

• Download the Observation Report Template here

Fee (incl GST)

Workshop:

• $1,560

Do you want to register more than one person for this course? Click here

View full content and registration brochure here.

2019 Dates

Cancellation and refund policy

If we receive your cancellation at least 15 working days before the workshop begins and you return your course materials in new condition, the refund is $880.
If the cancellation is made less than 15 working days before the workshop begins, there will be no refund.

Development funded by:

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