Please join us at Bond University on the Gold Coast for the 2024 Professional Legal Education Conference.
Law Job Readiness: Shaping the Lawyers of Tomorrow
The recent report ‘The Job Readiness Of Law Graduates And Entry Level Solicitors In Private Practice’ (linked here) - commissioned by the Queensland Law Society and prepared by the Centre for Professional Legal Education - highlighted a disconnect between employer expectations and the competencies of newly admitted solicitors. The report has provoked calls for a greater focus by law schools upon the job-readiness of law graduates. It is timely, therefore, to reflect upon, investigate and critique this issue of ‘job-readiness’.
The 2024 PLE Conference will be the site for a national discussion about this topic, with participants from the legal academy, the legal profession, regulatory bodies and other stakeholder groups. Keynote speakers will include the Chief Investigators behind the QLS Job Readiness Report and peak body representatives, with a full line-up of speakers to be announced shortly.
Conference timeline
| Abstract submissions open | Friday, 19 April, 2024 |
| Registrations open | Now |
| Abstract submissions close | Friday, 2 August, 2024 |
| Notification of abstract status | Friday, 30 August, 2024 |
| Registration closes | Wednesday, 16 October, 2024 |
| Conference timing overview | Welcome reception: Wednesday 30 October from 6pm to 8pm Main conference: Thursday, 31 October to Friday, 1 November from 9am to 5pm Conference dinner: Thursday, 31 October from 6pm to 10pm |
To request conference updates, please click here.
Call for papers
Potential presenters are invited to submit abstracts of up to 300 words for consideration, exploring questions relating to law job readiness, including but not limited to:
- What does it mean to be ‘job-ready’?
- Whose responsibility is it to ensure law graduates are job-ready?
- What jobs are we making law graduates ready for?
- What is the likely impact of AI and other emergent tech?
- What is the place of resilience within job-readiness?
- What are critical perspectives on the concept of ‘job-readiness’?
- What needs to be done differently?
- How do law schools ensure they still cover the basics?
- What can we learn from other disciplines and professions?
- What can we learn from other jurisdictions?
Selected papers will be invited to contribute to an edited volume.
Conference pricing
- Conference General Delegate: $400
- Conference Student Delegate: $200
- Conference Dinner: $100 per person*
*All delegates wishing to attend the conference dinner must purchase a Conference Dinner ticket in addition to a Conference Delegate ticket. The conference dinner is open to conference delegates and their guests.
Tickets on sale now!
To purchase your 2024 PLE Conference ticket and Conference Dinner tickets, please click here.
Accommodation
 | Our chosen conference venue is Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach. For a special conference rate, please click here. (Subject to availability. Book early to avoid disappointment.) |
Your host
The 2024 Professional Legal Education Conference is proudly presented by the Centre for Professional Legal Education. For conference enquiries, please email [email protected].