Australian law firms are being encouraged to take part in the 2010 Australia-China Legal Profession Development program (ACLPDP) which sees 10 lawyers from China gain first hand experience of the Australian legal arena through a three-month placement. The program – a joint-initiative between the Law Council and the International Legal Services Advisory Council (ILSAC) – aims to further strengthen ties between Australia and China at a time when increasing amounts of legal work crosses borders.

“At the Law Council we recognise that one of the key growth areas for Australian lawyers is international work with a particular focus on Asia,” said Law Council president John Corcoran. “The most recent survey, which was taken in 2006-07, showed that Australia exported something like A$700m of legal services. I suspect at the moment that it’s probably closer to a billion dollars – and continuing to grow exponentially.”

To capitalise on these opportunities, Australian lawyers need to understand the culture and environment that they will be working in and the ACLPDP helps facilitate that understanding.

Under the program, lawyers from Chinese government agencies and private law firms travel to Australia to gain first hand knowledge of the country’s legal workings. They are able to request areas that they want to work in and are introduced to Australian courts and bodies such as ASIC and the trade practices commission. They then go on a placement for three months, either with a government agency or a private practice.

“The feedback has been terrific,” Corcoran, who is also a principal at Russell Kennedy, said. “My firm for example, unrelated to my position as president of the law council, had a lawyer work in our office a couple of years ago and I think it was a really good experience, not only for her, but also for our young lawyers.”

The Australian Leadership Awards Fellowships conducted by AusAID currently funds the program and all lawyers are provided with accommodation and a living allowance. Participants are selected on the basis of experience in nominated areas ranging from the regulation of the legal profession and practice management to energy & resources and dispute resolution.

Participants will arrive in Australia around 24 February 2010 to commence the initial study and training component of the program prior to the 12–14 week placement component, which is scheduled to commence from 29 March 2010 until mid-late June.

There is a long history of cooperation between the Law Society and the China Law Society dating back to the early 1980s when the China Law Society was still in its infancy. The two legal bodies signed a memorandum of understanding, which led to joint cooperation and eventually to this program which is in its fourth year.

“This is a highly regarded program, not only by the Law Council in Australia but also by the China Law Society,” Corcoran said.