VPRS 16237 Roll of Attorneys

Full description

The enactment of the Legal Profession Practice Act 1891 legally fused the barristers' and solicitors' branches of the legal profession in Victoria and the distinction is maintained in the current Act, the Legal Profession Practice Act 1958. In practice, however, the branches remain quite separate, for a person admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court must make an election whether they wish to be inscribed on the Roll of Counsel or on the Roll of Solicitors.

The rules regarding the admission to practice as lawyers were outlined in the Supreme Court rules. In April 1853 the Supreme Court promulgated Rules and Regulations for Admission to Practices as Barristers and as Attorneys, Solicitors and Proctors, in the Supreme Court of Victoria. Rule 1 established two Boards of Examiners, one for Barristers and one for Attorneys

The Roll of Attorneys contains the names of the attorneys admitted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales and subsequently by the Supreme Court of Victoria.

The Roll records the attorney's full name, date of admission and remarks, date of attorney's death, or when they were struck off the roll.

It is understood that the roll includes solicitors, proctors, attorneys, conveyancers and possibly barristers.

A separate Roll of Barristers was maintained (Refer to VPRS 16236).