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
Options to suit everyone
Our course options are designed to suit a range of work, family and other commitments and schedules. You can study from anywhere, with us by your side.
All you need is a computer with a camera and a reliable internet connection.
Performance seminars
You won’t miss out on a face-to-face connection though, as all course options include three performance seminars (Negotiation, Advocacy and Interviewing) that incorporate virtual meetings, held via Microsoft Teams. The focus of these meetings is to practice real-life, client-focused scenarios within pairs and groups, giving you hands-on practical experience you can take directly into the workplace. The performance seminars make up 5 weeks of the course and include compulsory meetings between 30 minutes and 3 hours. The meetings will be scheduled in advance of the seminar by your Instructor, within the performance seminar dates indicated with your course dates. See course dates here.
The performance seminars are a real highlight of the IPLS experience. “The [performance seminars] were interactive with lots of useful practice runs and Instructor feedback before the actual assessment.” (Trainee feedback survey, 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2024.)
Outside of the virtual meetings, and for all other seminars, the course consists of online coursework that can be completed in your own time, within set deadlines for tasks and assessments.
Unmatched Instructor support
Whatever course option you choose, you will be supported by an Instructor throughout the course. Your Instructor will provide personalised feedback on tasks and assessments and is available to you for mentoring and support as you need it. The level of Instructor support at IPLS sets us apart and is a valuable part of the IPLS experience. 100% of IPLS trainees say they felt ‘well supported by their Instructor while on the course’ (Trainee feedback survey, 1 Jan – 31 Dec 2024)
Choose from three course options:
Online 13-weeks - full-time | includes 5 weeks of performance seminars with virtual meetings during the weekday
Online 18-weeks - part-time | includes 5 weeks of performance seminars with virtual meetings during the weekday
Online 18-weeks - part-time | includes 5 weeks of performance seminars with virtual meetings during weekday evenings and Saturdays
*All virtual meetings are held via Microsoft Teams
**All course options (13-week and 18-week) are considered full-time study (0.4 EFTS) for the purposes of student loans and allowances.
Please note, we also offer an onsite course once a year from January – April, in Auckland and Wellington. This is a full-time commitment, which requires students to be onsite every day between 9am – 4.30pm. Dates for 2026 will be released later in the year, however we recommend enrolling in an online course option at this stage as onsite capacity is limited.
Course dates
Flexible start dates
We have start dates every few weeks so no matter the course option, you can pick a start date that suits your timings best.
To view all course dates, click here
Things to consider when selecting your course dates
The Professional Legal Studies Course Regulations 2004 require trainees to fully participate in the course in order to receive their Completion Letter
Participation in the course includes taking part in the compulsory virtual meetings, within the three Performance seminars. The Performance seminars run over 5 weeks of the course and the dates for these seminars are noted on the course dates sheet.
Virtual meetings are between 30 minutes and 3 hours long and are scheduled in advance of the seminar by your Instructor
Weekday virtual meetings are scheduled within business hours (8.30am-5pm Monday – Friday)
Evening and Saturday virtual meetings are scheduled on weekday evenings and during the day on Saturday’s (6pm-9pm Monday – Friday, 9am-3pm Saturday)
Outside of the virtual meetings, and for all other seminars, the course consists of online coursework that can be completed in your own time, within set deadlines for tasks and assessments.
Throughout the course, you will be supported by an Instructor, who will stay by your side throughout the course providing feedback and mentoring. You can reach out to them at any stage with questions or for support.
New Zealand Certificate in Professional Studies
The IPLS Profs course is a recognised NZQA qualification. Once you have passed the course, your qualification will be recorded on your NZQA transcript and you will receive an NZQA Certificate in Professional Legal Skills. (Also known as your ‘Completion Letter’) You can use this certificate/Completion Letter in your application for admission to the bar.
Fees
All course options (13-week and 18-week) are considered full-time study (0.4 EFTS) for the purposes of student loans and allowances. To apply, 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.
2025 fees $5,805 (NZ residents), $7,310 (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 traineecare@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 traineecare@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