The introduction of a uniform system of regulation of the legal professions was an objective of the Law Council of Australia. Victoria and New South Wales passed the Uniform Act on 1 July 2015. This was seen as an important step towards a truly national profession and a positive example of the profession`s leading role in setting its own standards. The Law Society has informed its members and the profession as a whole that on June 23, 2021, the Uniform Laws in the Legal Profession Bill was reintroduced in the Legislative Assembly after it expired prior to the 2021 election, and that the expected coming into force date of the Uniform Act remains January 1, 2022. Together, the Conseil des services juridiques and the Single Rules Commissioner for Legal Services oversee the implementation of the system of uniform statutes for the legal profession. The uniform law is currently enforced in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria through local implementing legislation. Certain court-specific regulations, such as the operation of local authorities and fees, are governed by local laws and regulations. Click here for more information on the Council and the Commissioner for the Legal Service. On July 1, 2022, Western Australia joined the Uniform Act Harmonization Regime. The Uniform Act harmonizes the regulation of the legal profession, reduces bureaucracy and creates a uniform system for regulating legal practice.

The system also promotes informed customer choice and includes strong consumer protections. The overall objectives of the Uniform Act are to promote the administration of justice and an efficient and effective Australian legal profession by: On 5. In February 2009, the Council of Australian Governments agreed that further efforts were needed to nationalise the regulation of the legal profession in Australia, and the National Legal Profession Reform Project was launched. Information documents on the project are available under ag.gov.au. The Attorney General will keep the Law Society and the profession closely informed. After the bills expired, the Law Society was informed that the Attorney General had written to the Attorneys General of New South Wales and Victoria to extend the application of the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Uniform Framework for the Legal Professions until 1 January 2022 and to confirm the State Government`s commitment to join the Legal Profession Uniform Law Scheme. It is highly unlikely that both bills will enter into force in their entirety before the end of the year, as a number of transitional provisions are being prepared that are currently unknown. The Law Society of Western Australia fully supports and has championed the adoption of the Uniform Legal Profession Act since 2014.

Learn more about the historical context by clicking on the link below. The following are joint comments from the various state and territory bar associations submitted by the federal government for consultation on the bill in response to discussion papers released by the National Task Force on Legal Reform in late 2009 and submitted by the federal government in mid-2010: The Uniform Law for the Legal Profession is an annex to the Uniform Law in the Legal Profession Act 2014 (Vic) and is used in New South Wales by the legal profession. Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (NSW) and Western Australia through the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2022 (WA). Uniform legislation is the basic operational details of uniform legislation. While the Legal Service Council establishes all the uniform rules, the responsibility for drawing up the rules is shared between different bodies. For more information on the different types of uniform rules, see the information in the Single Framework section. The Legal Practice Council has prepared fact sheets for each of the amendments and has published them here. An explanatory video is also available here. Uniform Rules for Continuing Professional Development (Lawyers) in the Legal Profession, 2015 In response to the letter to the Attorney General, the Law Society was notified of the following on November 25, 2021: The bills were reintroduced in the Legislative Assembly on June 23, 2021. On December 7, 2020, prior to the 2021 Western Australian election, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly were prorogued.

Following the release, all bills before both Houses « lapse » and are withdrawn from parliamentary proceedings. As a result, the Uniform Law Application in the Legal Profession Bill, 2020 and the Uniform Law Application in the Legal Profession (Levie) Bill, 2020 are obsolete. Uniform Law of the Legal Profession Australian Rules of Conduct for Lawyers 2015 These factsheets contain background information on various aspects of uniform law. The fact sheets will be completed and updated as the Uniform Law Act progresses in Western Australia: Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Bill 2021 – Start Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015 In 2020, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Bill 2020 and the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application (Levy) Bill 2020 were introduced in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.