There are three types of membership. They are:
- Ordinary Membership;
- Associate Membership and
- Pre-Admission Associate Membership.
1. Ordinary Membership
Ordinary membership is open to any legal practitioner with a current practising certificate in a state or territory of Australia who is employed by an Australian university to provide legal advice to the university.
Australian lawyers who are employed by a university overseas in the capacity of legal advisor may also be considered for membership of SOUL under its constitution.
2. Associate Membership
Associate Membership for an initial two year period is open to any legal practitioner who:
- practises as a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court of any State or Territory in Australia;
- has been an Ordinary Member and has ceased to be employed by a University in the capacity of legal advisor in the previous period of 12 months;
- does not normally accept instructions to act against a University; and
- who is accepted by the Executive Committee as having a continuing contribution to make to the objectives of the Association.
After the first two years of Associate Membership an Associate Member must re -apply for membership annually, with the support of the relevant Regional Chapter . Applications for membership are made to the Secretary.
3. Pre-Admission Associate Membership
Pre-Admission Associate Membership is open to any person who is employed by a University under the direct supervision of an Ordinary Member but who is not admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of any State or Territory in Australia and who satisfies one or more of the following criteria:
- is studying for a tertiary qualification in law or, having graduated, pursuing study in legal practice or articles of clerkship with the intention of being admitted as a legal practitioner once qualified to do so; or
- holds an international qualification in law and is in the process of seeking admission as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of any State or Territory in Australia.