Queensland Bar Exam: Practice and Procedure

It is aimed at qualified lawyers, typically solicitors, who wish to join the private Bar in Queensland and obtain a practising certificate as a barrister. The exam sits alongside the Bar Practice Course as part of the qualification pathway set by the Bar Association of Queensland.

The published domain structure lists Practice and Procedure and the Bar Practice Course, each weighted at 50 per cent. Practice and Procedure concerns the rules and practices of Queensland litigation; the Bar Practice Course component covers practical advocacy skills, ethics and professional conduct expected of new barristers.

It is a professional threshold examination, so it assumes existing legal knowledge and tests application rather than recall alone. Candidates who have not practised in litigation find Practice and Procedure the harder domain, because it rewards familiarity with procedural rules and their practical operation in court.

Retake arrangements are set by the Bar Association of Queensland and are not stated on the source page used for this summary. You should confirm the current position, including any limits on attempts and applicable fees, directly with the Association before relying on an assumption.

Duration, question count and passing score are not published on the source page used here, so no figures are given. Contact the Bar Association of Queensland for the current format and marking standard for the sitting you intend to undertake.

Start with Practice and Procedure, because procedural rules underpin the practical exercises in the Bar Practice Course. Once the framework is secure, move to applied work such as drafting, written submissions and oral advocacy, which is where the practical component is really tested.

The most common problems are shallow knowledge of procedural rules and weak application under time pressure. Candidates who memorise rules without practising their use in pleadings, applications or advocacy exercises often struggle, as do those who neglect ethics and professional conduct as a distinct area.

Shift from reading to doing. Work through procedural scenarios under timed conditions, draft pleadings and application documents, and rehearse short oral submissions aloud. Review ethics and conduct rules alongside practice, and leave time to revisit the areas where your accuracy is weakest.

No. This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or authorised by the Bar Association of Queensland. Always verify eligibility, dates, fees and course requirements directly with the Association, which is the authoritative source for the admission pathway.