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

National Legal Profession Reform

The three month consultation period closed on 13 August 2010. The Taskforce is now considering all submissions received.

More information on the package which was consulted upon is available on the National Legal Profession Reform consultation package page

The Attorney-General is pleased to release the draft legislation below for the information of consumers and the legal profession.

The draft legislation has been developed following a lengthy consultation process. The National Legal Profession Taskforce, which conducted the consultation, received 162 submissions, held briefings in each jurisdiction, and met with the profession, regulators, most Attorneys-General and Chief Justices. A consultant also undertook intensive consultation with consumers.

Since the National Law was last released by COAG in December 2010, the National Justice CEOs approved a number of key amendments to the legislation in consultation with the legal profession. An explanation of these changes is set out in the report below:

The policy settings in the National Law have been agreed by COAG. However, technical drafting amendments may be made to the legislation before it is introduced in the host jurisdiction. It has also been agreed that the National Legal Services Board will review the draft Legal Profession National Rules in consultation with stakeholders before the national scheme commences.

The objectives of these reforms include: 

  • promoting national consistency in the law applying to the Australian legal profession
  • ensuring lawyers are competent and maintain high ethical and professional standards in the legal services they provide, and
  • enhancing the protection of clients of law practices and the protection of the public generally.  

National Legal Profession Reform is also intended to empower clients of law practices to make informed choices about the services they access and the costs involved; promote regulation of the legal profession that is efficient, effective, targeted and proportionate; and provide a co-regulatory framework within which an appropriate level of independence of the legal profession from the executive arm of government is maintained.

Please direct all enquiries about the reforms in writing to:

Secretary of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General
GPO Box 6,
Sydney NSW 2001