Legal Services Commissioner
[ Graphics-capable, Standards compliant browser required for full graphic presentation ]
Latest News
On this page:
2009 Annual Report now available
Debt Collection Round Table Summary
Surveys to improve standards of legal services and consumers' experiences with their lawyers
Debt Collection Round Table
Warning to lawyers about a failure to respond
Legal Services Commissioner visit to Frankston
Legal Services Commissioner visit to Geelong
Costs disputes in family law matters
2009 Annual Report now available
November 2009
The Legal Services Commissioner's Annual Report for 2008-09 is now available on the Publications page of this website.
Debt Collection Round Table Summary
September 2009
The Legal Services Commissioner (LSC) recently convened a round table forum to explore the issue of poor debt collection practices and the part that lawyers play in these practices.
The LSC has produced a summary paper outlining some of the key issues discussed and the ideas raised at the forum.
The summary is available on the Publications page.
Surveys to improve standards of legal services and consumers' experiences with their lawyers
August 2009
The Legal Services Commissioner (LSC) is currently conducting a series of surveys that aim to identify:
- what clients believe lawyers can do to improve their standard of legal services; and
- what lawyers believe clients can do to improve their experiences with lawyers.
The feedback will guide the development of activities and materials that aim to educate and inform consumers and lawyers on fostering positive lawyer-client relationships.
The LSC invites consumers and lawyers to complete the surveys, which can be accessed from the Projects page of this website.
Debt Collection Round Table
June 2009
In May 2009, the Legal Services Commissioner convened a round table forum to explore the issue of poor debt collection practices and the part that lawyers play in these practices.
The round table enabled the Legal Services Commissioner to gather a range of ideas for addressing concerns regarding debt collection practices.
See the Projects page for more information
Warning to lawyers about a failure to respond
March 2009
The Legal Services Commissioner is taking a tougher line with practitioners who fail to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation.
Under section 4.4.11 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 (Vic), legal practitioners must respond to any queries or requests from the Legal Services Commissioner in relation to an investigation of the practitioner’s conduct.
Where lawyers fail to respond, the Legal Services Commissioner may initiate action in the Legal Practice List of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Tribunal).
In this financial year, the Legal Services Commissioner has referred 30 practitioners to the Tribunal for a failure to respond. So far, nine have been found guilty of professional misconduct, while four have been found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct for failing to respond to the requests of the Legal Services Commissioner.
The Commissioner, Ms Victoria Marles is concerned by the number of practitioners who fail to comply with the investigations process.
“It is disappointing that my office must refer practitioners to the Tribunal for a failure to respond to a request for information or a request for an explanation,” Ms Marles said.
“Practitioners knowingly enter a profession which is highly regulated because of its importance to the administration of justice, the courts and to the clients themselves.”
“The Legal Services Commissioner is taking a stricter approach to this kind of behaviour and will refer matters to the Tribunal without hesitation. The lawyer will of course be given a fair opportunity to respond to our inquiries,” she said.
“I urge practitioners to respond to correspondence from my office within the allocated timeframe. If you are unsure of what is being asked of you or if you cannot respond by the deadline, then I encourage you to contact my office immediately to discuss your concerns,” she said.
For information on responding to the Legal Services Commissioner, download the fact sheet, Responding to the Legal Services Commissioner from the Publications page of the Legal Services Commissioner’s website.
Contact the Legal Services Commissioner’s office on (03) 9679 8001 for further information on the complaints handling process.
Legal Services Commissioner visit to Frankston
February 2009
Representatives of the Legal Services Commissioner visited Frankston on 19 February to meet local community groups, MPS and lawyers, to discuss the system for handling complaints about lawyers.
For more information please see the media release available at the Media page.
Legal Services Commissioner visit to Geelong
October 2008
The Legal Services Commissioner visited Geelong on 28 October to meet local community groups, MPS and lawyers, to discuss the system for handling complaints about lawyers.
For more information please see the media release available at the Media page.
Costs disputes in family law matters
July 2008
Recent amendments to the Family Law Rules 2004 have changed the way costs disputes in family law matters are handled.
The amendments, which took effect on 1 July 2008, gave the Legal Services Commissioner jurisdiction to deal with costs disputes in family law matters where proceedings have been issued in the Family Court of Australia or the Magistrates' Court of Victoria.
These changes are explained in more detail in our fact sheet Dealing with Costs Disputes in Family Law Matters (36KB PDF).