Victoria Legal Aid

The Practice Standards

Our Practice Standards support panel practitioners to manage their clients with professionalism and care throughout a legally aided matter. They provide clarity and transparency about our expectations for the quality of work delivered to vulnerable clients.

Victoria Legal Aid implemented the Practice Standards in 2014, which provide greater clarity and transparency about our expectations for the quality of work delivered to vulnerable clients. The Practice Standards support panel practitioners to manage their clients with professionalism and care throughout a legally aided matter. They are based on legal practice professional standards but are contextualised for legally aided matters to reflect the specific vulnerabilities of our client groups. The Practice Standards are grouped into four key areas that are essential to support quality representation.

The four key areas of practice standards

General Practice Standards

These cover adherence to professional obligations, responsibilities as a legal aid practitioner, responsibilities to the client, briefing counsel and file management.

Practice Standards for specific areas of law

These set out the standards that are specific to dealing with criminal law, family law (including child protection) and family violence/personal safety intervention order matters. They also set out the expected standards for independent children’s lawyers or for when a matter is referred to dispute resolution.

Practice Standards for specific client characteristics

These set out the standards that are relevant to specific types of client including child clients generally, child clients in criminal and family law matters, clients in custody, clients with a mental illness or disability, and clients from a culturally and linguistically diverse or Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background.

Firm Practice Standards

These set out the standards required of the firm itself, and looks at how the policies and practices of the firm support the provision of high quality legal services

Download the Practice Standards

Go to our Section 29A panels conditions to download the Practice Standards and other schedules of the panel deed.

Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria. It is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication.

We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

Reviewed 19 January 2023