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Complaints about lawyers
Reasons you may want to make a complaint about a lawyer can include:
- delays caused by your lawyer
- poor communication
- incompetence
- inadequate service
- ethical issues (such as conflict of interest)
- disputes about lawyers’ costs and charges.
The Legal Services Commissioner (LSC) is an independent body that investigates complaints about lawyers and resolves disputes between lawyers and clients.
You can also contact the LSC if you are concerned about the costs you have been charged by your lawyer or you think that your lawyer’s action has caused you financial loss.
Complaints to the LSC must be made in writing. For further details see the LSC website (link below).
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's (VCAT) Legal Practice List (link below) hears disciplinary charges (like misconduct) and disputes between legal practitioners and clients.
A dispute can only be referred to VCAT if the Legal Services Commissioner can't resolve it.
See ‘Lawyers’ (link below) for information about resolving disputes about lawyers’ costs.
Complaints about Victoria Legal Aid
If you are unhappy about a decision made by Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) about an application for a grant of legal assistance you can ask for it to be reconsidered.
Contact the VLA officer responsible for making the decision within 14 days. Tell them your reasons for requesting reconsideration.
If the officer does not change the decision, another officer will reconsider the decision. You will be informed in writing of the outcome of the reconsideration.
If you are still unhappy, you can have the decision reviewed by an independent reviewer. You should do this within 21 days of receiving the reconsidered decision.
Complaints about the conduct of VLA staff should be directed to the Managing Director. Complaints about VLA’s procedures and conduct which do not comply with the Legal Aid Act 1978 (link below) should be referred to VLA’s Client Services Officer or the Ombudsman of Victoria (link below).
More information
Victoria Legal Aid Client Service Charter
Victoria Legal Aid – complaints