Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006

Admission and enrolment of barristers and solicitors - Admission of barristers and solicitors

54: Rules of court as to admission

You could also call this:

"Rules to Become a Lawyer"

Illustration for Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006

You must follow rules when you want to become a barrister or solicitor. The court makes these rules, and they are based on the Senior Courts Act 2016. The rules say what you need to do to show you are qualified and a good person to be a barrister or solicitor. You need to meet certain criteria to be admitted as a barrister or solicitor. These criteria can include things like not having been convicted of certain offences or not having been declared bankrupt. The rules about these criteria are made under the Senior Courts Act 2016. The court can make rules about anything to do with admitting people as barristers and solicitors. This includes rules about the evidence you need to show you are qualified and a good person. The rules must be consistent with the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM365773.

This page was last updated on 4 January 2026 — View changes

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53: Reciprocal admission, or

"Letting overseas lawyers work in New Zealand if their home country's laws are similar"

55: Fit and proper person, or

"Who can be a lawyer: being a fit and proper person"

Part 3Admission and enrolment of barristers and solicitors
Admission of barristers and solicitors

54Rules of court as to admission

Rules, not inconsistent with this Act, may from time to time be made, in the manner prescribed by the Senior Courts Act 2016, in respect of the evidence of the qualifications, character, and fitness of candidates, and generally in respect of any matter relating to the admission of candidates as barristers and solicitors of the High Court.
Rules made under this section may prescribe non-educational criteria to be met by candidates for admission as barristers or as barristers and solicitors, which criteria may preclude the admission of a person who has, at any time, been convicted of an offence of a kind or class specified in rules made under this section or who has, at any time, been declared bankrupt.
Nothing in subsection (2) limits the generality of subsection (1).

Compare

1982 No 123 s 48

Notes

Section 54(1): amended, on 1 March 2017, by section 183(b) of the Senior Courts Act 2016 (2016 No 48).