(1) Generally, this chapter seeks to achieve the main purposes of this Act by
providing that—
(a) legal practice is engaged in only by persons who are
properly qualified and hold a current practising certificate; and
(b) only
persons who are eligible and fit and proper persons for admission to the legal
profession are admitted; and
(c) an Australian lawyer may obtain a local
practising certificate from the law society or bar association and become a
local legal practitioner; and
(d) police reports and health assessment
reports may be obtained for purposes stated in this Act; and
(e) the
regulation of legal practice on a national basis is promoted by providing for
inter-jurisdictional provisions regarding admission to the legal profession
and practising certificates; and
(f) a corporation may engage in legal
practice as an incorporated legal practice while it has a legal practitioner
director, and a partnership, consisting of at least 1 partner who is not an
Australian legal practitioner, may engage in providing legal services in this
jurisdiction if there is at least 1 legal practitioner partner; and
(g)
foreign lawyers may practise foreign law in this jurisdiction as a recognised
aspect of legal practice in this jurisdiction to encourage and facilitate the
internationalisation of legal services and the legal services sector.
(2)
Subsection (1) is intended only as a guide to readers as to the general scheme
of this chapter.