The Sixth Floor takes four readers each year. Typically three from the May intake and one from the October intake for the Bar Readers’ courses, but this combination can vary depending on the calibre of individual applicants.

Readers are assigned individual rooms in the Floor’s annexe but are encouraged in their first six months to spend time on the Floor when a floor member is on leave or travelling to increase their contact with the Floor as a whole.

The Floor looks for a combination of sound academic results, relevant experience, highly developed communication skills and sound judgment.

The reading programme is a very important part of Floor life as most readers are invited to remain on the Floor as licensees after their reading period and maintain their association with the Floor.

Readers are expected to arrange for one of their tutors to be a floor member in order to maximise the value of their reading year and are encouraged to arrange a second tutor on another floor to broaden the scope of their contacts and support in their first year at the bar.

Readers do not pay floor fees and are only liable for incidental disbursements such as photocopying and telephone calls.

Applications for reading positions should be addressed to the Clerk, Lisa Stewart, lstewart@sixthfloor.com.au who will in turn forward them to the Floor Secretary.

Applications should contain as much information as the candidate may believe is relevant to the application and should include at least a comprehensive description of relevant experience, a copy of the applicant’s academic transcript and the names of referees and any floor members with whom the applicant may have worked or studied.

While there is no set time period for the receipt of applications, it is not uncommon for the Floor to receive and in appropriate cases make offers to applicants up to eighteen months prior to the commencement of the applicant’s reading year.