Introduction

Abstract

This chapter discusses the role of practical legal training (PLT) in legal education, with reference to wellbeing programmes developed by two PLT providers. Legal education leading to admission to practise law includes a final component of PLT. The Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLO) was a significant influence in the addition of resilience, wellbeing and self-management to the new Competencies drafted in 2012. The workshop was named Resilience and Wellbeing for Lawyers as this echoed students' comments expressed in focus groups that the material be introduced through positive concepts such as resilience and wellbeing rather than terms such as depression and anxiety. As a result of the survey and the College's model resilience programme presented at the 2010 Australasian Professional Legal Education Council (APLEC) Conference, a resilience unit was introduced in the PLT programme at UTS in the 2011 autumn semester. PLT providers are strategically placed to make a meaningful contribution to the wellbeing of the law student body and the profession.