Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Legal Profession Reform

Consumer Survey – have your say

If you have used a lawyer, the Taskforce wants to know what you think about the reform of the legal profession.

To share your views, access the consumer survey.

If you have difficulty accessing the survey please email legalprofession@ag.gov.au or phone (02) 6141 2580.

On 19 April 2010, draft uniform legal profession legislation developed by the National Legal Profession Reform Taskforce was presented to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) with the support of the Attorney-General, the Hon Robert McClelland MP.

Find out more about the background to the development of this draft legislation.

COAG agreed to the release of this draft legislation as part of a Consultation Package. On 21 April 2010, the Attorney-General announced a public consultation period of three months. Read the Attorney-General's media release.

The three month consultation period will close on 13 August 2010. Please see below for information on how to make a submission.

Supplementary consultation paper

The model for the composition and appointment of the National Legal Services Board contained in the draft National Law has attracted very high levels of interest since the public consultation period began on 14 May 2010.  In response, the Taskforce has issued a paper on the National Legal Services Board on which the Taskforce seeks views during the public consultation period.

Consultation package

The draft National Law contains the Taskforce’s proposals on national regulation of the legal profession.

The draft National Rules complement the draft National Law and propose detail on how the National Law will be applied.

The consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) defines the issues that are being addressed through these reforms, considers the options for addressing those issues and assesses the relative costs and benefits of those options. It aims to elicit the views of affected parties on the impact of the proposed reforms prior to the development of final recommendations.

The Consultation Report explains some of the key proposals made by the Taskforce and poses questions about proposals on which submissions are particularly sought. The Report should be read in conjunction with the other materials in the consultation package.

Submissions are also welcome on the Legal Profession National Rules – Solicitors’ Rules 2010 and Legal Profession National Rules – Barristers’ Rules 2010:

These Solicitors’ Rules and Barristers’ Rules were developed by the Law Council of Australia and the Australian Bar Association respectively, not the Taskforce. Submissions received in relation to the Solicitors’ Rules and Barristers’ Rules will be forwarded to the Law Council of Australia or Australian Bar Association for consideration.

If you are having difficulty accessing these documents, please contact the National Legal Profession Branch by email to legalprofession@ag.gov.au or by telephone on 02 6141 2580.

Consumers

To find out more about the key changes and issues that may be of interest to consumers, please go to the COAG National Legal Profession Reform for Consumers page.

Making a submission

Public comment is welcome on the documents included in the Consultation Package (including the Solicitors’ Rules and the Barristers’ Rules).

If you would like to make a submission, please forward your submission no later than 13 August 2010 to legalprofession@ag.gov.au.

Submissions may also be submitted by facsimile to 02 6141 2583 or by mail to:

National Legal Profession Taskforce
c/o Assistant Secretary
National Legal Profession Branch
Attorney-General’s Department
3-5 National Circuit
BARTON ACT 2600

Please note that your submission may be published on this website in the form in which it is submitted, unless you indicate otherwise. Please indicate clearly in your submission if you would like your submission or any personal details contained in your submission (such as name and address) to remain confidential.

The Attorney-General’s Department will only publish submissions on this website that have been submitted electronically. The following formats are preferred:

  • Microsoft Word
  • Rich Text Format (RTF)
  • Portable Document Format (PDF)
  • txt format.

Please limit individual file size to less than 5MB.

Hard-copy submissions received will still be considered by the National Legal Profession Taskforce. However, they may not be published on the website.