Is an accredited specialist better than other lawyers?

Accreditation shows that a solicitor passed a formal, peer-assessed test in one area of law and keeps practising in it. It does not mean lawyers without accreditation lack expertise; many experienced solicitors never apply.

How long does specialist accreditation last?

Accreditation continues while the specialist renews it. To renew, a specialist must keep practising in the area and complete extra continuing professional development each year.

Can a barrister be an accredited specialist?

The law society schemes accredit solicitors. The Law Society of NSW and Queensland Law Society both require applicants to have practised as solicitors.

Can a lawyer from another state be accredited?

Yes. The Law Society of NSW accepts solicitor members of an equivalent body in another state or territory, and specialists can seek recognition in a second state under a mutual recognition policy.

What Is an Accredited Specialist Lawyer?

An accredited specialist is a solicitor who has practised full time for at least 5 years, has spent at least 25% of their practice in one area of law for each of the last 3 years, and has passed a law society's formal assessment in that area. The Law Society of NSW, the Law Institute of Victoria and Queensland Law Society all run accreditation programs.

To find one, search the law society's online register by area of law and location before you book a first meeting. The Law Society of NSW's Register of Solicitors lists specialists accredited in NSW, and Queensland Law Society publishes a register of its accredited specialists. When you compare firms on our list of best law firms in Australia, ask each firm whether the lawyer who will run your matter is accredited.

Requirement	Law Society of NSW (2026 program)	Queensland Law Society (2026 programs)
Practising certificate	Current solicitor practising certificate	Practice as a solicitor or government legal officer
Minimum practice	5 years full time	5 consecutive years full time (or equivalent)
Time in the area	At least 25% of full-time practice in each of the last 3 years	At least 25% of full-time practice (2.5 days per fortnight) in each of the last 3 years
Referees	3 referees	3 referee reports
Areas offered	14 areas, generally every second year	10 areas
Fees (as at September 2026)	$1,415 early bird or $1,700 standard	$175 application, $1,315 course and $530 accreditation fee (GST inclusive)
Staying accredited	Annual renewal requirements	15 CPD points a year, at least 10 in the area of accreditation

What does "accredited specialist" mean?

"Accredited specialist" means a law society has tested a solicitor's expertise in one area of law and recognised it. The label is earned through assessment, not claimed by the lawyer. The Law Society of NSW has run its scheme since 1992, to give the public a reliable way to identify solicitors with proven expertise in a chosen area.

Accreditation is separate from admission and from the practising certificate. Every solicitor must be admitted and hold a practising certificate. Accreditation is an optional extra step. The difference between solicitors, barristers and senior counsel is covered in Lawyer vs Solicitor vs Barrister.

Which law societies run accreditation schemes?

The main specialist accreditation programs are run by three law societies, and their accreditations can be recognised across state lines.

The Law Society of NSW runs the Specialist Accreditation program. It accepts solicitor members of the Law Society of NSW and full solicitor members of an equivalent body in another Australian state or territory.
The Law Institute of Victoria runs accreditation programs, including national programs in immigration law and taxation law.
Queensland Law Society runs the QLS Specialist Accreditation Scheme. Queensland solicitors can complete immigration or taxation programs through the Law Society of NSW or the Law Institute of Victoria, then seek recognition from the QLS Specialist Accreditation Board.

A specialist who moves interstate, or practises in two states, can apply to have their accreditation recognised in the second state under the Law Society of NSW's Specialist Accreditation Mutual Recognition Policy.

What areas can a lawyer be accredited in?

The Law Society of NSW offers accreditation in 14 areas of law:

Business Law
Children's Law
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Law
Dispute Resolution
Employment & Industrial Law
Elder Law
Family Law
Immigration Law
Personal Injury Law
Planning & Environment
Property Law
Public Law
Wills and Estates Law

Each area is generally offered every second year. In 2026, the NSW program assessed Children's Law, Dispute Resolution, Elder Law, Employment & Industrial Law, Family Law, Immigration Law, Personal Injury Law, and Planning & Environment.

Queensland Law Society recognises 10 areas: business law, commercial litigation, criminal law, family law, immigration law, personal injuries, property law, succession law, taxation law and workplace relations. A Queensland solicitor can hold a maximum of two accreditations at the same time.

How does a lawyer become accredited?

A solicitor becomes accredited by applying, meeting the eligibility criteria and passing every part of the assessment for their area.

Check eligibility. The applicant needs at least 5 years of full-time practice, calculated from the start of practice, not from admission. They also need at least 25% of their time in the area for each of the last 3 years.
Apply with referees. The NSW program requires three referees who are legal practitioners, of whom no more than one may be a co-worker.
Sit the assessment. In NSW, assessment methods vary by area and include a formal written examination (generally 3 hours, open or closed book), a take-home written advice, a peer interview before a panel of assessors, and a simulated client interview.
Pass every component. Each assessment is marked pass or fail, and a candidate must pass every form of assessment to be accredited.

Both societies can exempt some applicants from parts of the eligibility criteria. The Law Society of NSW can do so for practitioners returning from parental leave or caring responsibilities.

How does a specialist stay accredited?

A specialist stays accredited by renewing each year and continuing to practise in the area. Queensland Law Society requires its specialists to:

keep at least 25% of their practice in the area of accreditation, and
complete 15 continuing professional development (CPD) points each year, at least 10 of them in the area of accreditation. That is 5 more points than other solicitors need.

The Law Society of NSW sets its own annual renewal requirements and allows specialists to request a leave of absence in advance.

How do you check if a lawyer is an accredited specialist?

Check the law society's public register. Do not rely on a firm's website or advertising alone.

NSW. Search the Law Society of NSW Register of Solicitors. It includes specialists accredited in NSW, some of whom practise in other states and territories.
Queensland. Use the Queensland Law Society register to find an accredited specialist by practice area and location.
Other states. Ask the lawyer which law society accredited them and in which area, then check that society's register.

Confirm the area of accreditation as well as the name. A lawyer accredited in property law is not an accredited specialist in family law.

Do you need an accredited specialist?

You do not need an accredited specialist for most legal matters. Accreditation is most useful when the matter is complex, high in value or contested. Examples include a property settlement involving a business or trusts, a serious criminal charge, a disputed estate, or a complex visa refusal.

The limits are worth knowing. Accreditation exists only in the listed areas, so there is no specialist accreditation for many narrower fields. It also measures an individual solicitor, not a whole firm. A firm may have one accredited specialist, and a junior lawyer may do much of the day-to-day work. Ask who will run your file and how the specialist will supervise it.

Ask for a written costs estimate that shows the specialist's rate and the rates of anyone else working on the file. Our guide How Much Does a Lawyer Cost in Australia? explains how fees are set.

Is an accredited specialist the same as Senior Counsel?

No. Accreditation is a law society assessment for solicitors in one area of law. Senior Counsel (SC) and King's Counsel (KC) are senior barristers, appointed for their skill as advocates. A family law matter can involve both: an accredited specialist solicitor who runs the case and a senior barrister briefed for the trial.

Finding an accredited specialist lawyer

Start by comparing firms in your practice area and city, then check the register for the lawyer who will act for you. Our lists apply the published method in how we rank law firms. Our How to Choose a Lawyer in Australia guide lists other checks to make.