Under the provisions of the Legal Profession Uniform Law, the Legal Services Council makes and amends Uniform Rules as required to refine and improve the operation of the Uniform Law. Recent changes are listed below.
4 June 2024
On 30 May 2024, the editorial note to rule 111A of the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 was updated to include the actual indexed amounts for FY2024/25. Rule 111A adjusts the amounts specified in sections 291 to 293 of the Uniform Law; and section 99 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (Vic) in accordance with the published Australian Statistician’s consumer price index. This ensures the regulatory authorities and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal maintain their jurisdiction to determine costs disputes in line with inflation.
These amounts are set out below:
Financial year |
Original amount— $100,000 |
Original amount— $10,000 |
Original amount— $25,000 |
2024–2025 |
$238,595 |
$23,865 |
$59,650 |
On 6 October 2023, the Legal Profession Uniform General Amendment (Managed Investment Schemes) Rule 2023 commenced. The Rule limits the application of rule 91BA of the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 to litigation funding schemes entered into on or after 22 August 2020 and before 10 December 2022, being the time period within which litigation funding schemes were regulated as managed investments schemes under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
17 May 2023
On 2 May 2023, the editorial note to rule 111A of the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 was updated to include the actual indexed amounts for FY 2023/2024. Rule 111A adjusts the amounts specified in sections 291 to 293 of the Uniform Law; and section 99 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (Vic) in accordance with the published Australian Statistician’s consumer price index. This ensures the regulatory authorities and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal maintain their jurisdiction to determine costs disputes in line with inflation.
These amounts are set out below:
Financial year |
Original amount— $100,000 |
Original amount— $10,000 |
Original amount— $25,000 |
2023–2024 |
$185,460 |
$18,550 |
$46,365 |
On 1 July 2022, the Legal Profession Uniform General Amendment (Conditional Costs Agreements) Rule 2022 commenced. The Rule specifies the Family Court Act 1997 (WA) for the purposes of section 181(7)(c) of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.
On 1 July 2022, Part 2 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Amendment Act 2019 (Vic) commenced, which provides for governance changes to the Legal Services Council and the Admission Committee to reflect the participation of Western Australia in the Uniform Law scheme.
On 1 July 2022, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2022 (WA) was proclaimed, marking the commencement of the Uniform Law in Western Australia, other Part 1 which had already commenced, and section 359(2). The Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Regulations 2022 (WA) and the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application (Accreditation) Rules 2022 (WA) also came into operation on the same day.
On 22 April 2022, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Amendment (No 2) Rules 2022 (PDF, 130.4 KB) commenced. The Rules amend the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 by repealing rule 38, which relates to returning judicial officers and reinstating the version of Rule 38 that was in force immediately prior to 1 April 2022.
On 1 April 2022, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Amendment Rules 2022 commenced. The Rules amend the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules 2015 to give effect to the amendments recommended by the Law Council of Australia, including amendments to rule 42 (Anti-discrimination and harassment).
On 4 March 2022, the Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Amendment Rule 2022 (PDF, 143.9 KB) commenced. The Rule amends the Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015 to give effect to amendments recommended by the Australian Bar Association relating to rule 123 (Anti-discrimination and harassment) and the definition of workplace bullying in rule 125.
On 14 January 2022, Legal Profession Uniform Admission Amendment (Board) Rule 2021 (PDF, 139.4 KB) commenced. The Rule amends the definition of "Board" in rule 4 of the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015 to include the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia in the definition before Western Australia joins the Uniform Law scheme. This amendment will also facilitate other jurisdictions joining in the future.
On 20 August 2021, the Legal Profession Uniform General Amendment (Managed Investment Schemes) Rule 2021 (PDF, 157.1 KB) commenced. The Rule amends rules 91B and 91BA of the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 relating to managed investment schemes.
On 13 December 2019, the Legal Profession Uniform ContinuingProfessional Development (Barristers) Amendment (CPD Activity) Rule 2019 commenced. The Rule amends rules 5 and 6 and creates a new rule 6A of the Legal Profession Uniform Continuing Professional Development (Barristers) Rules 2015, to provide barristers with clarity about the content of a CPD activity and guidance about the types of activities in various formats that may comprise a CPD activity.
On 13 December 2019, the Legal Profession Uniform GeneralAmendment (Miscellaneous) Rule 2019 commenced. The Rules amends rules 17, 38, 54, 63, 64 and 93 of the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 and creates new rules 91E and 95A.
On 17 September 2019, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Amendment Act 2019 (Vic) was given the Royal Assent, officially paving the way for Western Australia to become the third jurisdiction to join the Uniform Law Scheme. Part 2 of the Bill, which deals with changes to the governance arrangements for the Legal Services Council, commenced on 1 July 2022, in order to synchronise with the passage of the Western Australian Application legislation.
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