The announcement follows the institution's decision to become a wholly independent education institution by becoming a public company, known as TCOL Ltd.

The new company comprises members drawn from legal communities and stakeholders across Australia and New Zealand, and the independent status prepares it for a future role as a national and regional Higher Education Provider.

The creation of TCOL, which will be renamed College of Law Limited once the current college is wound-up, also means significant constitutional changes for the college, which was created as an educational provider by the Law Society of NSW in 1974.

Neville Carter, the chief executive officer of TCOL, launched the new corporation at the inaugural annual general meeting held today (25 March).

"This is the most significant constitutional change in the college's history and will allow us to reposition the organisation with a much broader program portable across the Australasian legal profession," he said.

"Building on our successful pre-admission courses, the college is continuing to grow into more than a pre-admission training school and into an academy for the entire legal profession, with the ability to provide a range of high-calibre educational services throughout a practitioner's career."

TCOL is yet to give details as to the range of courses it will be providing, although Carter told Lawyers Weekly last month that the college was not, unlike its UK counterpart, going to be offering undergraduate options for students.

Stuart Westgarth, president of the NSW Law Society, said, "As a founding member of the college, the NSW Law Society will continue to have a significant input and active involvement in its future direction. We support the changes that have been made and look forward to continuing to work closely with the college in order to provide the best legal education possible across Australia and New Zealand".

The board members appointed at today's meeting are Neville Carter; Joe Catanzariti, partner, Clayton Utz; Lewis Patrick, deputy CEO and general manager education, The College of Law; John Dobson, principal, John C. Dobson Solicitor; Glenn Ferguson, managing partner, Ferguson Cannon Lawyers; Alison Gaines, global practice leader, Gerard Daniels; Catherine Gale, principal, Resolve Conflict Pty Ltd; Terrence McFadgen, business consultant; John Randall, consultant; Michael Tidball, chief executive officer, NSW Law Society; and Professor Gillian Triggs, dean, faculty of law, The University of Sydney.