Welcome to the Victorian Legal Admissions Board's short video outlining character statement requirements for applicants wishing to practice law in Victoria, character statements are statutory declarations. They must be made by a deponent, the person making the statement, and declared by an authorized witness.
Two character statements are required and can only be made by someone who has known you for at least two years. And is not related to you by blood marriage or as a domestic partner. If you have filed a disclosure statement, you must provide this to the deponent who is making the character statement.
They need to read this and include the date shown on your disclosure in the character statement. The date must match the date of the disclosure statement. Please ensure that the two dates indicated match. Do not add the date the deponent has read your disclosure or the date they have declared the character statement.
This is the most common error we see in these applications. If you have filed a capacity statement, the deponent does not need to see or read it to make a character statement. There are two different types of character statements available if you have never been admitted as a lawyer in Victoria.
Character statement never previously admitted without disclosure and character statement, never previously admitted with disclosure. There are two different types of disclosures available if you have been admitted as a lawyer in a foreign jurisdiction. Character statement previously admitted without disclosure.
And character statement previously admitted with disclosure, the two statements must be made by Deponents who have been associated in legal practice with you in that jurisdiction. Statutory declarations are required to be witnessed either in person or by audio. Link with an ID document if required. For more videos in the series, please click the link below.