Professional Legal Studies Course
Overview
Choose Profs with IPLS and step into your career with confidence
As a not-for-profit, we thrive on preparing law graduates to enter practice, ready to make a positive contribution to the profession and the public.
Join us to qualify for Admission and gain practical, real-world skills that will give you a head start in the workplace.
We’re Local – IPLS is proud to be a New Zealand organisation. We’re the original provider, born and raised alongside the legal system in Aotearoa.
Skills focused – We’ve developed a unique skills-based approach, designed to equip you with a range of core legal skills that can be applied to the full range of legal transactions and functions.
Comprehensive – We teach a complete programme of topics to all graduates, including a full litigation experience which means you don’t have to pick & choose upfront.
Experienced – All our instructors are experienced lawyers, who incorporate their hands-on knowledge as well as the latest legal developments from across Australasia and the world.
Ongoing support – IPLS instructors stay by your side throughout the course, providing coaching, mentoring and support.
Flexible – We have 13 & 18 week courses starting every couple of weeks, with online and onsite options – you can study how and where it suits you.
Popular dates can fill up quickly so enrol today and secure your space. We’ll reserve your spot, and you won’t have to pay your fees until shortly before your course starts.
Our unique skills-based course provides practical, real-world training which brings your law degree to life.
The course is organised into seminars that revolve around problem-solving realistic, client-focused tasks. Each seminar is skills-based, designed to equip you with the practical knowledge required for a successful legal career, irrespective of the area of law you might be engaged.
You’ll develop essential skills such as:
Drafting letters
Drafting documents
Interviewing
Advising
Negotiation
Problem solving
Legal analysis
Drafting for advocacy
Trial preparation
Advocacy
Mediation
Research
Professional practice management
Professional responsibility
Emphasis is also given to building your interpersonal skills and developing ways to manage your wellbeing in the workplace.
Assessment based learning
Profs at IPLS is an exam free environment – during the course you will be assessed on the skills you practice and master as you learn them. Instructors mark your assessments according to the criteria of the national standards set for competency and in some seminars, merit. They'll give you feedback on how you can improve your skills and establish confidence in each area. There is also an internal and external moderation system, which ensures all assessments are marked consistently.
Supportive learning environment
IPLS provides a supportive learning environment where you are taught in small groups. Your instructors stay by your side throughout course, providing regular feedback and adopting a coaching approach that complements their legal expertise.
Everything we do is with a view to ensuring you're well equipped to make a successful transition into the workplace.
NZCLE course regulations
We abide by the New Zealand Council of Legal Education Course regulations for this course. You can read these at nzcle.org.nz.
Course options
Study how and where it suits you.
Complete the course fully online or onsite.
Study full-time (13-weeks) or part-time (18-weeks). If you choose the 18-week option, you can then select between a daytime or an evening/weekend option. (Please note that for StudyLink purposes, the 18-week option is considered full-time study)
New Zealand Certificate in Professional Legal Skills
IPLS recently applied for an upgraded NZQA classification, which we’re excited to announce was successful.
For IPLS, this has not required any changes to our course - we were thrilled to get recognition from NZQA that our course, with its unique skill-based approach and unmatched student support, creates great outcomes for law graduates and firms!
What does this mean for you?
For those enrolling from 1 September:
Once you have passed the course, you will have the qualification recorded on your NZQA transcript and will receive an NZQA Certificate in Professional Legal Skills.
You can use this certificate in your application for admission to the bar.
For those enrolled prior to 1 September:
You still get access to the same great course that we have always offered & there’s no need to change a thing!
Once you have passed the course, you’ll receive the IPLS Completion Letter that you can use in your application for admission to the bar.
1. Online courses
The most flexible option – study from anywhere in the world, all you need is a computer with a camera and a reliable internet connection.
All online options include 3 seminars with a face-to-face component conducted via compulsory Zoom meetings. Zoom meetings are between 30 minutes to 3.5 hours long and are scheduled in advance of the seminar by your instructor. The main focus of these meetings is to practice real-life transactions, including role playing and assessment scenarios.
Daytime Zoom meetings are held in business hours
Evening/weekend Zoom meetings are held on weekday evenings and during the day on Saturdays
Outside of Zoom meetings, and for all other seminars, the course consists of online course work that can be completed in your own time, within set deadlines for tasks and assessments.
Throughout the course you will be supported by an experienced instructor, who will stay by your side throughout the course, providing coaching, mentoring and support.
Online course options include:
13-week course with daytime Zoom sessions
18-week course with daytime Zoom sessions
18-week course with evening/weekend Zoom sessions
See the FAQ’s page for more information about how the online course is structured.
2. Onsite courses
The 13-week full-time onsite course is available in Auckland and Wellington.
In 2025 the course runs from 29 January – 11 April, 8.30am-5pm, Monday – Friday.
Course Dates
Select an option below to view start dates for your preferred course. All new course dates for 2025 are now here, introducing more start dates and choice than ever before!
All courses
To view all course options, click here
Choose your course carefully, the Professional Legal Studies Course Regulations 2004 require trainees to fully participate in the course in order to receive their Completion Letter.
For online options participation in the course includes taking part in compulsory Zoom meetings. These are held during the ‘Zoom block’ dates noted on the course schedules above. Zoom meetings are between 30 minutes to 3.5 hours long and are scheduled in advance of the seminar by your instructor.
Daytime Zoom sessions are held in business hours
Evening/weekend Zoom sessions are held on weekday evenings and during the day on Saturdays.
Outside of Zoom meetings and for all other seminars the course consists of online course work that can be completed in your own time, within set deadlines for tasks and assessments.
Throughout the course, you will be supported by an experienced instructor, who will stay by your side throughout the course, providing coaching, mentoring and support.
Fees
IPLS courses qualify for Student Loans and Allowances. To apply for student loans and allowances, contact StudyLink on 0800 88 99 00 or visit studylink.govt.nz
Student Loans and Allowances
Fees
IPLS is a not-for-profit organisation and, as such, we make every effort to keep our fees as low as possible.
2024 fees $5,805 (NZ residents), $7,100 (non-NZ residents)
All fees are GST inclusive and are payable into the Public Trust Fee Protect bank account prior to the first day of the course. Fees include all course materials.
If you wish to pay by credit card, please email enrolment@ipls.org.nz. Credit card fees will apply. A receipt will be emailed to you after payment is received. Any fees not paid by the first day of your intake may incur a late payment penalty of $150 (including GST).
Student Fee Protection
IPLS uses the Public Trust Fee Protect service to provide an independent ‘trust account’ for the protection of trainee fees. This ensures sufficient monies are available at all times to refund the ‘unexpired’ portion of fees in the unlikely event we are not able to deliver your complete course.
Public Trust is a government owned Trustee Company which has been in existence for more than 145 years. More information about Fee Protect is available on its website, www.publictrust.co.nz.
Once you have enrolled at IPLS you will be sent a Fee Protect Student Acknowledgement Form to complete and return to us. Your fees, including those paid by StudyLink or your employer, are deposited directly into the Public Trust Fee Protect bank account.
For more information on Student Fee Protection, refer to the NZQA website: nzqa.govt.nz
Transfers and Withdrawals
IPLS recognises that at times trainees need to transfer between courses or to withdraw from the course. Please refer to the policy and procedures for transfers and withdrawals below and for information on any refund a trainee
Trainee Transfer Policy
Trainee Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Trainee Universal Application Form (Application to Transfer or Withdraw)
How to pay your course fees
You can make payment into the Public Trust bank account in the following ways:
Studylink
Apply online for your student loan in the usual way. Studylink will pay your course fee directly into the Public Trust Fee Protect bank account.
Internet banking
Account name: Public Trust
Bank and branch: Bank of New Zealand, North End branch, Wellington
Account number: 02-0536-0305865-01
Particulars: Your last name
Code: Your six-digit analysis code* (see below)
Reference: 8601607TR01
*The six-digit analysis code is shown on the front page of the ‘Fee Protect Student Acknowledgement’ form which is sent to you when you enrol with IPLS.
Credit card
If you wish to pay by credit card, please email enrolment@ipls.org.nz. Credit card fees will apply.
By your employer
Please contact us if you need an invoice to be sent to your employer or another organisation. Your employer will pay your course fee into the Public Trust Fee Protect account. You will still need to complete the ‘Fee Protect Student Acknowledgement’ form.
How to pay your course fee
Other Fees
Information on other fees can be found here.
Trainee testimonials
“My 18 weeks with IPLS were intense but rewarding. The courses are very well organised, the materials comprehensive and the tutors available to answer any questions. I enjoyed that it was online with regular Zoom sessions. I also enjoyed that the instructors were respectful of the challenges faced by students but firm when they needed to be. It is a skills-based course but don’t think your brain won’t get a creative work out – it does.”
Suzanne, 2022
“What made IPLS stand out for me was mainly the friendly and helpful instructors who were dedicated to my success in the course. Each seminar was very practical and helpful – I am sure that I will use the skills I learnt with IPLS in my future career.”
Aimee, 2022
“E kore mutu taku mihi kia IPLS. I tautoko mai i ahau ki roto i ōku pikinga me ngā hekenga katoa. I hōmai te kai o te rangatira. Waimaria pū i IPLS ahau.”
Mereana