VPRS 82 Admission Files of Attorneys to Supreme Court

This series contains files relating to those persons who sought admission to practise as an attorney, solicitor and proctor before the Legal Profession Practice Act 1891 (No.1229) came into force on 1 January 1892. [For files relating to admission of barristers to practise, refer to VPRS 1356 Admission Files of Barristers (1857-1891)].A person seeking admission to practise as an attorney, solicitor and proctor was obliged to serve five years as an articled clerk with an attorney already admitted to practise. [See VPRS 79 Articles of Clerkship Files.] When an applicant had completed five years as an articled clerk and applied for admission as an attorney, the articles originally filed in VPRS 79 were removed from the file and filed in VPRS 82 Admission Files of Attorneys to the Supreme Court. Papers relating to articled clerks who did not apply for admission remained filed in VPRS 79. For a comprehensive record of articled clerks see VPRS 5504 Register of Articles of Clerkship (1843 to 1951).Prior to 1891 people were admitted to practise either as barristers or as attorneys, solicitors and proctors. Under the provisions of the Legal Profession Practice Act 1891 (No.1229), all applicants for admission were to be admitted as a barrister and solicitor and not as one or the other.For files relating to those who sought admission to practise after the Legal Profession Practice Act 1891 came into operation refer to VPRS 468 Barristers and Solicitors Admission Files, 1895-1960.For information about persons qualified elsewhere, who sought to be admitted to practise in Victoria, refer to VPRS 105 Reports of Examiners for Admission of Attorneys to Supreme Court.