The Family Law Specialist Accreditation Programme
The Law Society’s programme in 2025 for Family Law has now concluded.
Since 1992, the Law Society has offered Specialist Accreditation in the area of Family Law. The Specialist Accreditation programme provides family law practitioners the opportunity to be recognised formally as having an enhanced level of competency in their field, a high standard of professionalism, and a commitment to ongoing expertise development through continuing legal education. Family Law Accredited Specialists are provided with the Family Law Accredited Specialist logo to use on their marketing material.
To become a Family Law Accredited Specialist, you must:
- Be a current financial member of the Law Society of Western Australia.
- Hold a current practising certificate.
- Have at least five years of full-time experience in the practice of law.
- Have had substantial involvement (no less than 25%) in the practice of family law over at least the preceding three years.
- Provided the names of three referees in support of your application.
- Successfully complete the Specialist Accreditation assessment programme.
To continue to remain accredited, you must:
- Be a current financial member of the Law Society of Western Australia.
- Hold a current practising certificate.
- Pay the prescribed annual fee as it falls due.
- Complete a minimum of 10 CLE points in approved accreditation activities each year.
- Complete the re-accreditation application every three years.
Downloads:
- List of Current Family Law Accredited Specialists
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2025/2026
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2024/2025
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2023/2024
- List of Approved Accreditation Activities 2022/2023
- Points Request Form
- Accreditation Booklet
- National Mutual Recognition Policy
- Application for Re-Accreditation
- Schedule A: Statement of Attendance for Year Ending 31 March 2025
- Schedule B: Undertaking of Attendance for Year Ending 31 March 2025
- Accreditation Committee Terms of Reference
- Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee Terms of Reference
Future Family Law Specialist Accreditation Assessment Programme
The Law Society will announce details of the future Family Law Specialist Accreditation Assessment programme in due course.
Future Key Dates
- TBC – Applications open.
- TBC – Part 1: Take Home Assessment released.
- TBC – Part 1: Take Home Assessment due.
- TBC – Part 2: Written examination.
- TBC – Part 3: Simulated client interview.
- TBC – Results sent to candidates.
It is recommended that prospective applicants consider the documents located under ‘Downloads‘ particularly the 2025 Specialist Accreditation Guidelines – Family Law.
Fee
- 2025 Application Fee: $1500
Downloads:
- Application for Accreditation Specialist Exam 2025
- Family Law Specialist Accreditation Case List 2025
- 2025 Specialist Accreditation Guidelines - Family Law
- Accredited Specialisation Performance Standards
- Application for the Committee’s Discretion – for candidates who do not meet the application eligibility criteria
- Simulated Client Interview – PowerPoint Presentation
Approved Accreditation Activities
Accreditation activities approved by the Law Society’s Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee for claiming of Accreditation CLE points are linked in the downloads section of this page.
If you wish to submit an activity for the Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee’s approval please complete the Family Law Request for Points form and send it, along with supporting documentation, to accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au. Requests for points should be submitted at least 14 days prior to each monthly Family Law Accreditation Advisory Sub-Committee meeting.
If you have any further questions about the Specialist Accreditation programme, please email accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au.
Mutual Recognition
The Law Societies in each jurisdiction have worked together to develop a framework for a national Mutual Recognition Policy that enables practitioners to have their accreditation gained in one State recognised in another state in certain circumstances.
If a practitioner moves interstate or is currently required to service clients in more than one State, they may be eligible to have their Family Law Specialist Accreditation recognised both here in Western Australia and in other States in which they are practising.
The Specialist Accreditation Mutual Recognition Policy has been designed to cater for legal practitioners who:
- Practise in two or more States and deal with clients from those States; and/or
- Relocate their practice to a State different from that of their original accreditation.