Training and Qualifying as a Lawyer in Malaysia

Graduating with a law degree is but the first step to qualifying as a lawyer in Malaysia.

Over a thousand law graduates are admitted to the Malaysian Bar every year. However, your crisp new LLB is just the first step towards becoming an advocate and solicitor – ie a full-fledged lawyer – at the High Court of Malaya.

Law graduates of foreign universities in selected countries that practise similar legal systems (in the UK, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand) can sit for the professional qualifying examination in the UK (the Bar exam) or in Malaysia (the Certificate in Legal Practice).

Upon successfully passing the professional qualifying examinations, law graduates who wish to practise in Peninsular Malaysia are required to undergo a compulsory nine-month term of practical training called 'chambering' or 'pupillage', under the supervision of a senior lawyer. After the nine-month term, the graduate will be called to the Bar, ie admitted to the High Court of Malaya as an advocate and solicitor – a full-fledged lawyer.

Law graduates of local public universities need not sit for professional examinations, as components of the examination are included in their degree studies. They only need to undergo the compulsory term of pupillage, and then be called to the Bar.

Practising in Sabah and Sarawak

To practise law ie to represent clients in courts in Sabah and Sarawak, a law graduate must be admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak. The qualification requirements are the same as those to be called to the Bar in Peninsular Malaysia; however, a pupillage of twelve months is required. In addition, the applicant must meet specific criteria stipulated by the Advocates Ordinance of Sabah and Advocates Ordinance of Sarawak:

  • Must have a connection to Sabah or Sarawak– eg born in Sabah or Sarawak, married to a person born in Sabah or Sarawak, or lived continuously in Sabah or Sarawak for five or more years
  • Must currently be domiciled in Sabah or Sarawak
  • Must serve a pupillage of three to six months in Sabah or Sarawak (for those intending to practise in Sabah, a six-month pupillage in Sabah is mandatory).
  • For more information, please refer to the websites of the respective State Attorneys-General of Sabah and Sarawak:

Qualifying for the Bar

To be called to the Bar in the High Court of Malaya, as well as meeting the educational requirements, you must be a ‘Qualified Person’ as defined by the Legal Profession Act 1976. The requirements for this status are as follows:

  • You are either a citizen or a permanent resident of Malaysia
  • You must be at least 18 years old
  • You are of good character and
    • have no criminal convictions in any country, in particular regarding fraud or dishonesty
    • have not been declared a bankrupt
    •  have not committed any acts which, if being a legal practitioner in any other country, would render you liable to be disbarred, disqualified or suspended from practice
  • You have served a nine-month pupillage in Malaysia
  • As of 1 January 1984, you have passed, or are exempted from, the Bahasa Malaysia Qualifying Examination (an oral examination in Bahasa Malaysia administered by the Malaysian Bar Council).

Source: Legal Profession Act, 1976 (Act 166 of the Laws of Malaysia)