Researchers from the University of New South Wales are conducting an online survey of Australian lawyers as part of the National Attrition and Re-engagement Study Plus (NARS+).
Queensland practitioners are invited to join the survey, which has been commissioned by the Law Council of Australia. Participation of all Australian lawyers would help build an accurate picture of the profession.
The researchers are interested in the perspectives of lawyers practising in a range of settings, including solicitors and barristers in private practice, in-house lawyers, those working in government and community legal organisations, and those not currently practising.
In 2025, Law Council Directors approved the UNSW Social Policy Research Centre to conduct the NARS+.
The aim is to learn more about lawyers’ characteristics, careers, and perceptions of legal practice; what can be done to address attrition among different groups; and what is needed to support lawyers to thrive.
Key objectives include:
- to measure progress achieved in the retention and experience of women in the
legal profession since the Law Council’s National Attrition and Re-engagement
Study (NARS) Report, released in March 2014; - to capture broader diversity identifiers, in order to pinpoint intersectional issues
for exploration in future research (noting the NARS+ will not represent the full
picture of diversity in the legal profession) and provide an improved data and
evidence base; and - to build the Law Council’s understanding of how the legal profession is evolving,
including its diverse composition, changed ways of working, and the impact of
forces such as new technology and remote working.
Participants will be asked about the setting in which they practise law, their experiences and perceptions of the profession, and demographic characteristics.
The survey, which is open until 24 April 2026, takes about 20 minutes to complete.
At the end of the survey, participants will be given the option to enter a prize draw to win one of five $200 Giftpay vouchers.
Information about the study and the Participant Information and Consent Sheet can be accessed here.
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