The Law Society of New South Wales

What The Law Society of New South Wales does

The Law Society of New South Wales is the statutory professional association and regulator for solicitors in New South Wales, Australia, established in 1899 (firmographic data lists 1842; the 125-year service claim aligns with the 1899 founding). It operates under the Legal Profession Uniform Law alongside Victoria, holding delegated authority to issue practising certificates, oversee trust accounts and the fidelity fund, administer complaints and discipline, and set professional standards for the state's solicitors. The Society serves over 40% of Australia's lawyers, making it the largest single segment of the national legal profession, and its membership spans private practitioners, government solicitors, in-house counsel, young lawyers, law students, and regional practitioners.

Its core products and technology center on the LawInform online learning management system, which delivers continuing professional development (CPD) courses, the mandatory Practice Management Course, and Specialist Accreditation programming in blended and online formats. Adjacent product lines include the AML/CTF compliance Hub, the Growth and Wellbeing Hub (with the SoWell mental health hotline, mentoring programs, and a new Leadership Development Program), the public Register of Solicitors directory, a Locum Service for interim staffing, the Indigenous Solicitors Foundation grant program, and the Member Benefits Program (including partnerships with Clio and Families at Work). Distribution is multi-channel: the LawInform self-serve platform, the Sydney Phillip Street headquarters for face-to-face training, a regional law society network across NSW, the monthly Law Society Journal, the Monday Briefs weekly email newsletter, and active social media presence on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Society's business model is a diversified membership-and-services engine. Recurring revenue is generated through annual membership subscriptions (Full, Associate, and Student tiers) and practising certificate fees under statutory authority. Transactional revenue comes from CPD course registrations, Specialist Accreditation assessments and renewals, Practice Management Course fees, publications and legal templates sold through the e-shop (eshop.lawsociety.com.au), and events and conferences (Golden Gavel, Specialist Accreditation Conference, Government Solicitors Conference, In-House Lawyers Conference, Rural Issues Conference). The Society is an independent, elected-Council-governed nonprofit professional association with no parent company, no external investors, and no public listing.

Name

The Law Society of New South Wales

Legal name

The Law Society of New South Wales

Website

https://lawsociety.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Law Society of New South Wales is the statutory professional body and regulator for NSW solicitors. It issues practising certificates, delivers CPD via the LawInform platform, administers specialist accreditation, and advocates on legal policy for over 40% of Australia's lawyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Professional Association and Regulatory Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Compliance (CLE, Paralegal CE) (EDAAALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal & Governance Professional Development (EDAGANAK), Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Continuing professional development
• Legal regulatory services
• Solicitor membership programs
• Specialist legal accreditation

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees providing access to professional development, advocacy, publications, and member benefits
2. Professional Development Courses: CPD seminars, Practice Management Course, and Specialist Accreditation programs generate course registration fees
3. Publications and Resources: Sale of handbooks, guides, books, and legal practice templates through the online shop
4. Practising Certificate Fees: Fees for issuing and renewing practising certificates to solicitors under statutory authority

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Law Society of NSW operates as a statutory professional membership association for solicitors in NSW, providing regulatory oversight (practising certificates, trust accounts, discipline), continuing professional development via the LawInform platform, specialist accreditation, practice management training, member advocacy, practice support resources, wellbeing services, and a register of solicitors. Members pay annual subscriptions and practising certificate fees, and access CPD courses, publications, events, mentoring, and grants through a portfolio of programmatic offerings.

Product overview

The Law Society of New South Wales operates as a professional membership organization offering a portfolio of services including the LawInform CPD platform, AML/CTF Hub compliance resources, Specialist Accreditation programs, Practice Management Course training, and the Register of Solicitors directory. Additional offerings include the Locum Service for interim staffing, Indigenous Solicitors Foundation grants, Mock Law competition for high school students, Mentoring Programs, and various member benefits through its Partner Program. The society also supports NSW Young Lawyers, publishes resources through its Practice Support Hub, and manages professional development initiatives including the Solicitor Capability Framework and the Charter for the Advancement of Women. Core regulatory functions include overseeing practising certificates, trust accounts, and professional standards under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LawInform: The Law Society's online platform for CPD courses, practice management courses, and professional development resources.

Products and services

• LawInform Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Platform Online learning platform providing CPD courses, live seminars, on-demand content, and Practice Management Course registration for solicitors to satisfy mandatory CPD requirements across all required knowledge areas.
• Specialist Accreditation Program Structured assessment and certification program allowing solicitors to demonstrate competency and expertise in specific areas of law, with annual renewal fees and recognition for consumers of legal services.
• Practice Management Course Accredited legal practice management course required for lawyers seeking to become principal of a legal practice in NSW, offered in blended and online formats with member discounts.
• Register of Solicitors Public online directory of NSW solicitors searchable by name, firm, or location, serving as the authoritative practising certificate register for the state.
• Locum Service Interim staffing solution connecting firms with experienced substitute solicitors holding current practising certificates and a minimum of five years post-admission experience.
• Indigenous Solicitors Foundation (ISF) Grants Registered charity providing non-repayable financial grants to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons pursuing a legal career in NSW, covering PLT fees, admission fees, and support for unpaid legal work.
• SoWell Wellbeing Service Confidential wellbeing support hotline (1800 592 296) and resources for solicitors facing mental health, addiction, or work-life balance challenges, with services expanded to include couples support.
• Member Benefits Program Program offering discounts and benefits to Law Society members through partnerships with providers of legal software (e.g., Clio), childcare (e.g., Families at Work), and lifestyle services.
• AML/CTF Compliance Hub Guidance hub providing NSW solicitors with information, implementation guides, and resources on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing compliance obligations for legal practices.
• Mentoring Program Formal mentoring program connecting solicitors at different career stages, including experienced practitioners with students and early-career lawyers, for knowledge sharing and professional development.
• Mock Law Competition Mock Trial and Mediation competition for high school students running since 1981, introducing students to the NSW judicial system and the legal profession.
• Law Society Publications and Online Shop Sale of handbooks, guides, books, and legal practice templates, including Practical Law Templates and Legal Know-how Resources for in-house counsel, distributed through the online shop at eshop.lawsociety.com.au.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CliominorGTM or Marketing PartnerClio is a legal practice management software provider that partners with the Law Society for the Member Benefits Program, offering EOFY promotions and discounts to Law Society members on legal software solutions.
• Law Council of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Law Society works collaboratively with the Law Council of Australia on national policy submissions, advocacy positions, and initiatives such as the Equitable Briefing Policy and Charter for the Advancement of Women.
• Legal Services CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Legal Services Council, established under the Legal Profession Uniform Law, sets the policy framework for legal services regulation in NSW and Victoria, working with the Law Society on consistent regulatory obligations.
• Reconciliation AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Law Society participates in Reconciliation Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan program, engaging in reconciliation initiatives and maintaining relationships to support Indigenous affairs advocacy.
• Justice and Equity CentreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Law Society's 2026 President's Charity is the Justice and Equity Centre's Homeless Persons' Legal Service, with the President promoting donations and support.
• Families at WorkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner organization providing childcare and lifestyle solutions for Law Society members, offered through member benefits program to support work-life balance.
• Indigenous Legal Assistance OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Law Society advocates for and supports Indigenous legal services including the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT custody notification service, and funds the Indigenous Solicitors Foundation.
• Office of the Legal Services CommissionercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-regulatory relationship for handling complaints about solicitor conduct, working together under the Legal Profession Uniform Law framework.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Law Institute of Victoria: The peak professional body for Victorian lawyers, sharing the same statutory regulatory structure under the Legal Profession Uniform Law. Directly analogous in mandate, services, and revenue model to the NSW Law Society.
• Queensland Law Society: The peak professional body and regulator for solicitors in Queensland, offering practising certificate administration, CPD, and advocacy. Comparable in mandate and scale within its state jurisdiction.
• Law Society of South Australia: The professional association and regulator for South Australian solicitors, offering practising certificates, CPD, and member services. Structurally and operationally comparable to the NSW Law Society at state level.
• Law Society of Tasmania: The professional association and regulator for Tasmanian solicitors, providing practising certificate administration and CPD services at a smaller jurisdiction scale but with the same structural mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Law Council of Australia: The national peak body representing the Australian legal profession. While not a direct membership regulator, it coordinates policy, advocacy, and co-regulatory initiatives with state law societies including the NSW Law Society.
• The Law Society (England and Wales): The UK equivalent peak body for solicitors, providing practising certificate regulation, CPD, member services, and advocacy. Operates at a much larger scale internationally but is the closest functional analogue in a common-law jurisdiction.
• American Bar Association: The largest national voluntary professional association for lawyers in the US, providing CLE, accreditation, advocacy, and member services. Comparable in mission and product breadth (publications, conferences, specialisation programs) though it does not hold statutory regulatory authority.
• New York State Bar Association: A large US state-level voluntary bar association offering CLE, sections, publications, and policy advocacy. Comparable to the Law Society of NSW in serving a major state-level legal profession with parallel professional development and policy functions.
• Canadian Bar Association: The national professional association for Canadian lawyers, offering CPD, publications, advocacy, and member benefits. Functionally comparable to the Law Council/Law Society combination in Australia at a national federation level.

Others

• Clio: A leading legal practice management software provider and partner in the Law Society's Member Benefits Program. Relevant as a CPD/complementary service partner and as a benchmark for technology-led engagement with solicitors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LawSocietyNSW
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/law-society-of-nsw
• Facebookfacebook.com/lawsocietyofnsw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Law Society of New South Wales