The essential guide to civil litigation (NSW)
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- Interactive
- From $599.00
- ID108_LIT
The essential guide to civil litigation (NSW)
Civil litigation is a cornerstone of legal practice, providing a vital avenue for resolving non-criminal disputes.
Lawyers specialising in this field must excel in case preparation, meticulously gathering evidence and crafting persuasive arguments.
Additionally, staying abreast of Federal and Supreme court decisions and best practice is essential. Mastering these aspects of civil litigation ensures that lawyers can effectively advocate for their clients and uphold the principles of justice.
This bundle will build your capabilities across four essential – and practical modules. You’ll learn:
- Supreme and Federal Court practice and procedure
- Case management and pre-trial procedure
- Case preparation and pleadings; and
- Contract claims in the District Court
From this course, you will earn 8 CPD Units.
INCLUDED COURSES
This course was refreshed in 2025 to provide you with current, practical knowledge to support confident and compliant practice.
Some of the most commonly used court applications relate to debt recovery or money claims. Many lawyers, no matter what their specialisation, take court action to recover a debt or other money allegedly owed by a person (the debtor) to another person (the creditor), under a contract or otherwise.
In this short course, we will illustrate the main principles of a debt recovery matter for liquidated claims and discuss the procedure to conduct and implement an undefended debt recovery matter in the District Court.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Advise a client on a debt recovery matter in the District Court
- Explain the procedure to conduct an undefended debt recovery matter in the District Court
- Prepare to conduct a contract claim in the District Court
- Identify the documents required to conduct a contract claim in the District Court
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Getting started
- Client instructions and preliminary issues
- Commencing proceedings
- Court orders and judgment
Complete this course to earn 2 CPD units within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Practitioners holding WA practising certificates are not eligible to earn CPD points for this course.
The Federal Court’s jurisdiction is broad, covering almost all civil matters arising under Australian federal law and some summary and indictable criminal matters. Whereas the Supreme Court is state’s highest court with responsibility for both criminal and civil matters.
This course explores the intricate practice and procedure aspects in both the Federal Courts and the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the practice and procedure of Supreme and Federal Courts
- Prepare to conduct a civil claim in Supreme and Federal Courts
- Identify documents and forms required to conduct proceedings in Supreme and Federal Courts
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
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Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia
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Federal Court of Australia
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Supreme Court of New South Wales
Complete this course to earn 2 CPD units within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Practitioners holding WA practising certificates are not eligible to earn CPD points for this course.
This course was refreshed in 2025 to provide you with current, practical knowledge to support confident and compliant practice.
This course provides an overview of the initial stages of litigation and discusses the preparation of cases, pleadings and particulars applicable to civil litigation.
Litigators must be familiar with the procedure that applies in the court and jurisdiction in which a particular case is being conducted. The relevant Acts, rules and practice notes governing that jurisdiction should always be checked.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Examine the civil litigation process
- Take complete instructions as part of your duty to act competently and diligently
- Analyse the proof making model and prepare for a case
- Outline the steps required to commence proceedings
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Civil litigation practice
- Taking instructions
- The proof making model
- Preparation of a case
- Commencing proceedings – part 1
- Commencing proceedings – part 2
Complete this course to earn 2 CPD units within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Practitioners holding WA practising certificates are not eligible to earn CPD points for this course.
Successful litigation depends on thorough and careful preparation of your client’s case. In addition to a comprehensive appreciation of your client’s case and objectives, thorough preparation requires:
- comprehensive knowledge of all pre-trial processes available, to ensure that the issues in dispute are clarified and the necessary evidence is gathered; and
- familiarity with the relevant case management systems and practice notes of the court in which the proceedings are commenced, which are designed to ensure cases are dealt with expeditiously.
In this short course, explore everything you need to know to conduct the pre-trial stages of a civil litigation proceeding in New South Wales. At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Apply pre-trial procedures to meet client needs
- Explain the process of preparation and submission of court documents
- Carry out the steps in case management under the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) and Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW)
- Analyse and evaluate the use of interlocutory applications during civil litigation
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- The lawyer’s role in managing a case
- Court case management systems
- Pre-trial procedures
- Clarifying issues
- Early resolution of proceedings
- Regulating conduct of proceedings
Complete this course to earn 2 CPD units within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Practitioners holding WA practising certificates are not eligible to earn CPD points for this course.
Easy to follow in your own time and very relevant materials. Practical examples were great.
On-demand CPD Learner
I like the hand by hand teaching approach, really practical.
On-demand CPD Learner
RELATED COURSES
Advocacy, court etiquette and protocol: Practice guide
Bail applications: Step by step guide
Case Preparation and Pleadings NSW: Practice Guide
Contract claims in the District Court NSW: Step by step
Cross-examination and re-examination: Step-by-step guide
Drafting affidavit evidence: Skills series
Enforcing judgment debts: Step-by-step guide
Evidence-in-chief: Practice guide
Introduction to criminal procedure: Practice Guide
Pleas and sentencing: Practice guide
Preparing a brief to counsel: Skills series
Probate applications: Step-by-step guide
Rules of Evidence: Practice guide
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
With our online on-demand interactive courses, you can learn when and where it suits you.
We’ve designed each course to provide both education and enjoyment.
Each course offers a mix of engaging exercises, where you’ll gain access to:
- Interactive activities to challenge your understanding and put your knowledge to the test. You’ll also enjoy engaging exercises, such as flip cards, quizzes and drafting activities
- Clearly identified outcomes so you know precisely what you’ll learn – and the skills you’ll gain. You’ll also be able to track your development and focus on key improvement areas.
- Extended course access so you can reference the material as you need – or revisit it if life ever gets in the way
- Feedback and template answers so you can refine your skills, grow your knowledge and gain fresh insights
All bundles and most single courses are not included in the CPD Digital Subscription, but are a great addition to a subscription and let you go in-depth in a particular area.
Yes, you can learn on the go by accessing our learning content anytime, anywhere through your mobile device.
Simply download the Canvas Student app (that hosts College of Law learning portal).
In the app, search College of Law in ‘Find my school’ and sign in with your given COLPass details. You will then be able to access all your College of Law courses via the mobile app.
Our suite of over 100+ exclusive single courses enable you to target a core skill or knowledge area.
Each course is an in-depth learning resource, available in the following formats:
Single courses are an affordable way for you to target a core skill or knowledge area.
Course formats include:
- Step-by-step guides: Explore the procedure or processes involved in a certain area of law
- Skills series modules: Sharpen an essential skill that you need to succeed in your practice
- Practice guides: Gain tips and an overview of a particular area of law
You can browse the full course list at any time.
Each bundle includes four in-depth resources, providing you with eight hours of self-paced and interactive learning, which you can access for 12-months from the date of purchase.
Strengthen your essential knowledge in a specific practice area. You can expand your expertise in areas such as:
- Wills and estates
- Family law
- Property transactions
- Advocacy
- Legal business management
- Criminal Law
- Business transactions
- Commercial contracts
- PLUS you can build your own bundle with any 4 single courses. Use code: BUNDLE40 at the check-out.
You can browse our bundle packages at any time. Still short of CPD points? You can add a Digital Subscription and save.
If the Digital Subscription is about variety, the bundle courses are about focus. Each on-demand bundle contains four in-depth learning resources, so you can boost your essential knowledge and skills across a particular practice area more affordably.
With a bundle, you’ll earn eight CPD points, while saving 40% on the single courses.
Go in-depth as you comprehensively explore a specific practice area. Learn interactively across engaging formats like step-by-step guides, practice guides and skill series. And gain helpful learning resources you can reference when you encounter similar situations in practice.
You can now build your own bundle with any four single courses. Simply add the four courses to your shopping cart using the BUNDLE40 discount code for the bundle price to be applied.
This bundle will benefit:
- Lawyers wanting to build practical foundational knowledge and skills
- Established lawyers looking to move into this area of law or who do occasional work in this area
- Senior lawyers looking to confirm their knowledge and stay up to date
- Paralegals, clerks and administrative staff wanting to upskill
Access our diverse library of short-form content, across all four mandatory areas, with a year-long subscription. And learn how you like with our collection of interactive courses, podcasts and vodcasts.
We’re constantly expanding our catalogue of subscription modules. Currently, you can access over 140 hours of content across areas like:
- Litigation
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You can browse our full subscription inclusion list at any time.
Please note that bundle courses and most single courses are not available within the subscription. You will need to add bundles or single courses to your subscription for in-depth learning in a particular area.
In today’s dynamic legal landscape, you need to stay informed about what’s happening now – and be prepared for what’s next.
With a CPD Digital Subscription, you’ll unlock our diverse and dynamic library of short-form content for only $499/year.
Designed around an engaging range of learning formats (including courses, vodcasts and podcasts), you can cover all your CPD compliance needs for one low yearly fee.
Subscribe today to:
- Enhance your everyday learning for you and your legal team
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- Enjoy unlimited 24/7 access for 12 months
- Unlock 140+ hours of interactive courses, how-to skill series, vodcasts and podcasts
Each module has been expertly developed or curated by the College of Law – and our industry partners. These include the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI), Hearsay, CPD Interactive and On the Run.
With a CPD Digital Subscription, you can learn when you want, what you want, and as often as you want.
If you’re looking for a wide variety of content, this is the CPD solution for you.
For live and short courses We offer a 10% discount for groups of two or more from the same organisation for our live courses and short courses. Add discount code GROUP10 at the checkout.
When it comes to subscription pricing options firms can access our subscription pricing options designed to accommodate varying team sizes:
- For teams of 2 to 5 users: Total cost: $1,399 per year. Enjoy savings of $1,096 using code FLEX5 when purchasing at the checkout.
- For teams of 6 to 10 users: Total cost: $1,799 per year Unlock savings of $3,191 using code FLEX10 when purchasing at the checkout.
- For teams of 10 or more users: Please contact us directly for personalised pricing tailored to your organisation's needs.
You can also learn more here.
You can access live courses and short courses delivered via a video conferencing link. This will be provided to you prior to the start of the course.
You can access each on-demand course through the College’s online learning portal. Whether you purchase a single course, a bundle, or a subscription, you’ll enjoy 24/7 unlimited access for 12 months from the time of purchase.
View the full course catalogue.
Does this educational activity extend your knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your practice needs or professional development?
If so, and you’re not a WA practitioner, you should claim 1 unit for each hour of participation, not including breaks.
Please check your local CPD rules for any caps on activity types, such as the private study of non-interactive audio/visual materials. You are responsible for keeping your own CPD records and complying with your local CPD rules.
Western Australian practitioners who complete our on-demand courses are currently unable to claim CPD points. However, you may earn CPD points by attending select live CPD events or by completing select CPD interactive modules.
Important Information: As of 1 April 2021, accredited providers of CPD to the legal profession in Western Australia are required to provide compliance information to the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia about individual legal practitioners. By enrolling in a College of Law course, you consent to us providing this information (including but not limited to personal information such as your name, WA Practitioner ID, contact details and course attendance/completion data) to the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia.
Please be advised of the following if you are a WA practitioner and wish to claim CPD points for attending/completing a College of Law course:
- You must check on the course registration page whether Western Australian practitioners are eligible to earn CPD points for that course.
- You must provide your Practitioner ID number to the College of Law. If you have not already done so, please provide your practitioner ID by email to cpd@collaw.edu.au
- Your attendance/completion of the course will be electronically monitored and you will be strictly required to remain present for the full duration in order to earn the CPD points attributed to the event. In the case of virtual offerings, you are responsible for maintaining a stable internet connection and taking account of time zones. No refunds will be issued for technical or other failures outside our control that result in you being unable to earn CPD points.
- If you have any questions about earning CPD points, please contact us by email cpd@collaw.edu.au or phone (02) 9965 7111.
- If you have any questions about the CPD compliance and reporting regime in Western Australia, please contact the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia.
Yes, you can keep track of your completion of our online courses and modules via the grades tab within the relevant courses in our learning management system.
While certificates are not issued for these courses, your learning journey is still captured within the platform.
At the end of each course, your grades and completion results are displayed on screen, giving you the opportunity to take a quick screenshot for your records. This provides clear evidentiary support for your self-assessment obligations under the CPD scheme.
CPD requirements generally begin from the first full CPD year after your admission as a practising lawyer. This means that if you’ve recently completed your Practical Legal Training (PLT) and been admitted, you typically won’t need to start earning CPD points until the next CPD cycle.
However, requirements can vary by jurisdiction, so it’s best to check with your local law society.
