In the nineteenth century, Victoria's Supreme Court made the rules about becoming a lawyer, and set exams that would-be barristers and solicitors had to pass.

The University of Melbourne's new law course had an important advantage: the Supreme Court's rules recognised it for admission to practise. Students who passed the law course did not have to sit the Supreme Court's law exams. This incentive attracted students to the new course.

By 1872, completing at least part of the University law course was compulsory for all new lawyers. Victoria was unusually early in making university study compulsory for lawyers, partly thanks to the close links between the University and the Supreme Court judges, who included Redmond Barry, the University's first chancellor.