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Legal Profession Act 2006
627Expiry—ch 13
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627 Expiry—ch 13
This chapter expires 2 years after the day it commences.
Note A transitional provision is repealed on its expiry but continues to have
effect after its repeal (see Legislation Act, s 88).
(see s 3)
Note The Legislation Act contains definitions relevant to this Act. For
example:
• ACAT
• ACT
• authorised deposit-taking institution (or ADI)
• business day
• change
• contravene
• Commonwealth
• corporation
• Corporations Act
• document
• entity
• exercise
• external territory
• financial year
• for
• foreign country
• found guilty (of an offence)
• function
• home address
• indictable offence
• individual
• in relation to
• may (see s 146)
• must (see s 146)
• power
• public employee
• public notice
• public servant
• public trustee and guardian
• reviewable decision notice
• State
• Supreme Court
• territory law
• under.
ACAT trust account—see the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Act 2008, section 115B (2).
admissions board means the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board
established by section 558.
admission rules means rules relating to the admission of lawyers and
associated matters made under the Court Procedures Act 2004 for
part 2.3 (Admission of local lawyers), and includes any forms
approved under that Act for those rules or that part.
admission to the legal profession means admission by a Supreme
Court as—
(a) a lawyer; or
(b) a legal practitioner; or
(c) a barrister; or
(d) a solicitor; or
(e) a barrister and solicitor; or
(f) a solicitor and barrister;
under this Act or a corresponding law, but does not include the grant
of a practising certificate under this Act or a corresponding law.
affairs, of a law practice, includes the following:
(a) all accounts and records required under this Act to be kept by
the practice or an associate or former associate of the practice;
(b) other records of the practice or an associate or former associate
(c) any transaction to which the practice or an associate or former
associate of the practice was or is a party;
(d) any transaction in which the practice or an associate or former
associate of the practice has acted for a party.
amend includes—
(a) in relation to a practising certificate—
(i) impose a condition on the certificate; and
(ii) amend or revoke a condition already imposed on the
(b) in relation to registration as a foreign lawyer—
(i) amend the lawyer’s registration certificate; and
(ii) impose a condition on the registration; and
(iii) amend or revoke a condition already imposed on the
registration.
approved, for a policy of indemnity insurance, for part 3.3
(Professional indemnity insurance)—see section 312.
approved ADI, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—see
section 210 (2).
approved policy of fidelity insurance, for part 3.5 (Mortgage
ASIC exemption, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
associate—
(a) of a law practice, for the Act—see section 9; and
(b) of a solicitor, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
associated third party payer, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and
assessment)—see section 261A.
Australia, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign lawyers)—see
Australian law, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign lawyers)—see
Australian lawyer—see section 7.
Australian legal practitioner—see section 8.
Australian practising certificate means a local practising certificate
or an interstate practising certificate.
Australian-registered foreign lawyer means a locally-registered
foreign lawyer or an interstate-registered foreign lawyer.
Australian roll means the local roll or an interstate roll.
Australian trust account means a local trust account or an interstate
trust account.
bar association means the Australian Capital Territory Bar
Association (ACN 008 481 258), a corporation incorporated under
the Corporations Act.
bar council means the Council of the bar association.
barrister means—
(a) a local legal practitioner who holds a current barrister practising
(b) an interstate legal practitioner who holds a current interstate
practising certificate that entitles the practitioner to engage in
legal practice only as or in the manner of a barrister.
borrower, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed investment
capping and sufficiency provisions, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—
Chapter 5 body corporate—see the Corporations Act, section 9.
claim, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—see section 316.
claimant, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—see section 316.
client—
(a) for this Act generally—includes a person to whom or for whom
legal services are provided; and
(b) for division 3.2.7 (Costs assessment)—see section 294; and
(c) for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed investment
compensation order, for part 4.8 (Compensation)—see section 441.
complaint, for chapter 4 (Complaints and discipline)—see
section 383.
complaint investigation, for chapter 6 (Investigations)—see
compliance certificate—see section 30 (Compliance certificates by
admissions board).
complying community legal centre—see section 208.
concerted interstate default, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—see
section 316.
conditional costs agreement, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and
assessment)—see section 261.
conditions means conditions, limitations or restrictions.
conduct, for chapter 4 (Complaints and discipline)—see section 383.
connected, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see
contributor, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
contributory mortgage, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and
controlled money—see section 210 (1).
controlled money account, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust
conviction—see section 13.
corporation, for part 2.6 (Incorporated legal practices and
corresponding authority means—
(a) an entity with functions under a corresponding law; or
(b) when used in the context of an entity having functions under this
Act (the local authority)—
(i) an entity with corresponding functions under a
(ii) without limiting subparagraph (i), if the functions of the
local authority relate to local lawyers or local legal
practitioners generally or are limited to any particular class
of local lawyers or local legal practitioners—an entity
having corresponding functions under a corresponding
law, whether or not they relate to interstate lawyers or
interstate legal practitioners generally or are limited to any
particular class of interstate lawyers or interstate legal
corresponding disciplinary body means—
(a) a court or tribunal with functions under a corresponding law that
correspond to any of the functions of the ACAT under this Act;
or
(b) the Supreme Court of another jurisdiction exercising—
(i) its inherent jurisdiction or powers in relation to the control
and discipline of any Australian lawyer; or
(ii) its jurisdiction or powers to make orders under a
corresponding law of the other jurisdiction in relation to
any Australian lawyer.
corresponding foreign law means the following:
(a) a law of a foreign country that corresponds to the relevant
provisions of this Act or, if a regulation is made declaring a law
of the foreign country to be a law that corresponds to this Act,
the law declared under that regulation for the foreign country;
(b) if the term is used in relation to a matter that happened before
the commencement of the law of a foreign country that, under
paragraph (a), is the corresponding law for the foreign country—
a previous law applying to legal practice in the foreign country.
corresponding law means the following:
(a) a law of another jurisdiction that corresponds to the relevant
provisions of this Act or, if a regulation is made declaring a law
of the other jurisdiction to be a law that corresponds to this Act,
the law declared under that regulation for the other jurisdiction;
(b) if the term is used in relation to a matter that happened before
the commencement of the law of another jurisdiction that, under
paragraph (a), is the corresponding law for the other
jurisdiction—a previous law applying to legal practice in the
other jurisdiction.
costs agreement, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
costs assessment, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
council means the bar council or law society council.
data, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see section 529.
data storage device, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see
default, in relation to a law practice, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—
deposit record—see section 210 (1).
director, for part 2.6 (Incorporated legal practices and
disbursements, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
disciplinary action, for part 4.9 (Publicising disciplinary action)—
see section 447.
dishonesty, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—see section 316.
disqualified person means any of the following people:
(a) a person whose name has been removed from an Australian roll
(whether or not at the request of the person) and who has not
later been admitted to the legal profession under this Act or a
corresponding law;
(b) a person who is not an Australian legal practitioner because the
person’s Australian practising certificate has been cancelled
under this Act or a corresponding law;
(c) a person whose Australian practising certificate has been
suspended under this Act or a corresponding law and in relation
to whom the suspension is in force;
(d) a person who has been refused a renewal of an Australian
practising certificate under this Act or a corresponding law and
who has not later been granted an Australian practising
certificate;
(e) a person who is the subject of an order under this Act or a
corresponding law prohibiting a law practice from employing or
paying the person in relation to the practice;
(f) a person who is the subject of an order under this Act or a
corresponding law prohibiting an Australian legal practitioner
from being a partner of the person in a business that includes the
practitioner’s practice;
(g) a person who is the subject of an order under section 123
(Disqualification from managing incorporated legal practice) or
section 148 (Prohibition on multidisciplinary partnerships with
certain partners who are not Australian legal practitioners) or
under a provision of a corresponding law that corresponds to
section 123 or section 148.
engage in legal practice includes practise law.
external examination, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust
external examiner, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—
see section 210 (2).
external intervener, for chapter 5 (External intervention)—see
section 473.
external intervention, for chapter 5 (External intervention)—see
section 473.
fidelity fund—see section 320.
financial institution, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
foreign law, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign lawyers)—see
foreign law practice, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign
foreign licensing body, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign
foreign roll means an official roll of lawyers (whether admitted,
practising or otherwise) kept in a foreign country, but does not include
a roll prescribed by regulation.
general trust account, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust
government agency means––
(a) a government department (however described) of the Territory,
the Commonwealth or another jurisdiction; or
Note Jurisdiction means a State or Territory (see dict).
(b) an entity prescribed by regulation as a government agency.
government lawyer means an Australian lawyer, or a person eligible
to be admitted as an Australian lawyer, employed by––
(a) the Territory, the Commonwealth or another jurisdiction; or
Note Jurisdiction means a State or Territory (see the dictionary).
(b) a government agency.
grant an interstate practising certificate includes issue an interstate
home jurisdiction—see section 10.
ILP compliance audit, for chapter 6 (Investigations)—see
incorporated legal practice—see section 101.
information notice—see section 12.
insolvent under administration means—
(a) a person who is an undischarged bankrupt within the meaning
of the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth) (or the corresponding
provisions of the law of a foreign country or external territory);
or
(b) a person who has executed a personal insolvency agreement
under the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth) (or the corresponding
but not if the agreement has been set aside or terminated or all
of the obligations created by the agreement have been
discharged; or
(c) a person for whom a debt agreement has been made under the
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth), part 9 (or the corresponding
if the debt agreement has not ended or has not been terminated;
or
(d) a person who has executed a deed of arrangement under the
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth), part 10 (or the corresponding
if the terms of the deed have not been fully complied with; or
(e) a person whose creditors have accepted a composition under the
Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cwlth), part 10 (or the corresponding
if a final payment has not been made under the composition.
insurable barrister, for part 3.3 (Professional indemnity insurance)—
see section 308.
insurable legal practitioner, for part 3.3 (Professional indemnity
insurance)—see section 308.
insurable solicitor, for part 3.3 (Professional indemnity insurance)—
see section 308.
interstate lawyer—see section 7.
interstate legal practitioner—see section 8.
interstate practising certificate means a current practising certificate
granted under a corresponding law.
interstate-registered foreign lawyer means a person who is registered
as a foreign lawyer under a corresponding law.
interstate roll means a roll of lawyers kept under a corresponding law.
interstate trust account means a trust account kept under a
investigation, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—see
section 210 (2).
investigator—
(a) for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—see
section 210 (2); or
(b) for chapter 6 (Investigations)—see section 521.
itemised bill, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and review)—see
jurisdiction means a State or Territory.
law firm means a partnership consisting only of—
(a) Australian legal practitioners; or
(b) 1 or more Australian legal practitioners and 1 or more
Australian-registered foreign lawyers.
law practice means—
(a) for the Act—
(i) an Australian legal practitioner who is a sole practitioner;
or
(ii) a law firm; or
(iii) a multidisciplinary partnership; or
(iv) an incorporated legal practice; and
(b) for part 3.1—see section 218 (2).
law society means the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory
established under section 576.
law society council means the Council of the law society.
lay associate, of a law practice—see section 9.
legal costs means amounts that a person has been or may be charged
by, or is or may become liable to pay to, a law practice for the
provision of legal services including disbursements but not including
interest.
legal practitioner associate, of a law practice—see section 9.
legal practitioner director, of an incorporated legal practice—see
section 99.
legal practitioner partner, of a multidisciplinary partnership—see
section 99.
legal profession rules means rules made under part 7.4.
legal services means work done, or business transacted, in the
ordinary course of legal practice.
lender, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed investment
litigious matter, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
local lawyer—see section 7.
local legal practitioner—see section 8.
local practising certificate means a current practising certificate
granted under this Act.
local registration certificate, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign
local roll means the roll of lawyers kept under this Act.
local trust account means a trust account kept under this Act.
locally-registered foreign lawyer means a person who is registered as
a foreign lawyer under this Act.
lump sum bill, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
managed investment scheme—see the Corporations Act, section 9.
member, of a managed investment scheme, for part 3.5 (Mortgage
mortgage means an instrument under which an interest in real
property is charged, encumbered or transferred as security for the
payment or repayment of money, and includes—
(a) an instrument prescribed by regulation for this definition; and
(b) a proposed mortgage.
mortgage financing means facilitating a loan secured or intended to
be secured by mortgage by—
(a) acting as an intermediary to match a prospective lender and
borrower; or
(b) arranging the loan; or
(c) receiving or dealing with payments for the purposes of, or under,
the loan;
but does not include providing legal advice or preparing an
instrument for the loan.
multidisciplinary partnership—see section 134.
non-associated third party payer, for part 3.2—see section 261A.
occupier, of premises, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—
see section 529.
offence, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see section 529.
officer, for part 2.6 (Incorporated legal practices and
official complaint, for chapter 4 (Complaints and discipline)—see
section 383.
overseas-registered foreign lawyer, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—
foreign lawyers)—see section 152.
pecuniary loss, in relation to a default, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—
permanent form, in relation to a trust record, for part 3.1 (Trust
money and trust accounts)—see section 210 (2) and (3).
person assisting, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see
practical legal training means—
(a) legal training by participation in course work; or
(b) legal training under the supervision of an Australian lawyer,
whether involving articles of clerkship or otherwise; or
(c) a combination of both kinds of legal training.
practise foreign law, for part 2.7 (Legal practice—foreign lawyers)—
see section 152.
premises includes land or a structure or vehicle and any part of an
area of land or a structure or vehicle.
prescribed relationship, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and
principal, of a law practice—see section 9.
professional misconduct—see section 387.
professional obligations, of an Australian legal practitioner, for
part 2.6 (Incorporated legal practices and multidisciplinary
partnerships)—see section 99.
public authority, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
quashing, of a conviction for an offence—see section 13.
register of disciplinary action—see section 448.
registered, used in relation to a foreign country, for part 2.7 (Legal
practice—foreign lawyers)—see section 152.
registrar means the registrar of the Supreme Court.
regulated mortgage, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
regulated property, for a law practice, for chapter 5 (External
intervention)—see section 473.
regulatory authority means—
(a) in relation to the ACT—
(i) a council; or
(ii) another authority having functions under this Act; or
(iii) an entity prescribed by regulation for this paragraph; or
(b) in relation to another jurisdiction, means—
(i) if there is only 1 regulatory authority for the other
jurisdiction—that regulatory authority, unless
subparagraph (iii) applies; or
(ii) if there are separate regulatory authorities for the other
jurisdiction for different branches of the legal profession or
for people who practise in a particular style of legal
practice—the regulatory authority relevant to the branch or
style concerned, unless subparagraph (iii) applies; or
(iii) if a regulation prescribes 1 or more regulatory authorities
for the other jurisdiction either generally or for particular
purposes—the prescribed regulatory authority or
authorities.
related body corporate means—
(a) for a company within the meaning of the Corporations Act—a
related body corporate within the meaning of that Act,
section 50; or
(b) for any other corporation prescribed by regulation—a person
relevant council means—
(a) in relation to a barrister or former barrister (including an
applicant for grant of a barrister practising certificate or an
overseas-registered foreign lawyer seeking a local registration
certificate)—the bar council; or
(b) in relation to a solicitor or former solicitor (including an
applicant for grant of an unrestricted practising certificate or a
restricted practising certificate or an overseas-registered foreign
lawyer seeking a local registration certificate)—the law society
council; or
(c) in relation to an employee, or former employee, of a solicitor—
the law society council.
relevant jurisdiction, for part 3.4 (Fidelity cover)—see section 327.
responsible entity, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
restricted practising certificate means a local practising certificate or
interstate practising certificate that is not an unrestricted practising
certificate or barrister practising certificate.
reviewable decision, for chapter 9 (General provisions)—see
section 598.
run-out mortgage, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and managed
scale of costs, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
search warrant, for part 6.3 (Entry and search of premises)—see
serious offence means an offence whether committed in or outside
the ACT that is—
(a) an indictable offence against a law of the Commonwealth or any
jurisdiction (whether or not the offence is or may be dealt with
summarily); or
(b) an offence against a law of another jurisdiction that would be an
indictable offence against a territory law if committed in the
ACT (whether or not the offence could be dealt with summarily
if committed in the ACT); or
(c) an offence against a law of a foreign country that would be an
indictable offence against a territory law or a law of the
Commonwealth if committed in the ACT (whether or not the
offence could be dealt with summarily if committed in the
ACT).
show-cause event, in relation to a person, means—
(a) the person becoming an insolvent under administration; or
(b) if the person is a legal practitioner director of an incorporated
legal practice—the incorporated legal practice becoming a
Chapter 5 body corporate; or
(c) the person being convicted of a serious offence or tax offence,
whether or not—
(i) the offence was committed in or outside the ACT; or
(ii) the offence was committed while the person was engaging
in legal practice as an Australian legal practitioner or was
practising foreign law as an Australian-registered foreign
lawyer; or
(iii) other people are prohibited from disclosing the identity of
the offender.
sole practitioner means an Australian legal practitioner who engages
in legal practice on the practitioner’s own account.
solicitor means—
(a) a local legal practitioner who holds a current unrestricted
practising certificate or restricted practising certificate; or
(b) an interstate legal practitioner who holds an interstate practising
certificate that does not restrict the practitioner to engage in legal
practice only as or in the manner of a barrister.
sophisticated client, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—
see section 261.
statutory interest account—see section 253.
suitability matter, for an individual—see section 11.
supervised legal practice means legal practice by a person who is an
Australian legal practitioner—
(a) as an employee of a law practice, if—
(i) at least 1 partner, legal practitioner director or other
employee of the law practice is an Australian legal
practitioner who holds an unrestricted practising
(ii) the person engages in legal practice under the supervision
of an Australian legal practitioner mentioned in
subparagraph (i); or
(b) as a partner in a law firm, if—
(i) at least 1 other partner is an Australian legal practitioner
who holds an unrestricted practising certificate; and
(ii) the person engages in legal practice under the supervision
of an Australian legal practitioner mentioned in
subparagraph (i); or
(c) as a government lawyer, if the person engages in legal practice
under the supervision of an Australian lawyer who holds, or
otherwise meets the criteria for the grant or renewal of, an
unrestricted practising certificate; or
(d) in a capacity approved under the legal profession rules.
tax offence means any offence against the Taxation Administration
Act 1953 (Cwlth), whether committed in or outside the ACT.
territory regulated mortgage, for part 3.5 (Mortgage practices and
territory regulated mortgage practice, for part 3.5 (Mortgage
third party payer, for part 3.2—see section 261A.
this Act includes the admission rules and any other rules made under
the Court Procedures Act 2004 for this Act.
made or in force under the Act, including any regulation or legal
profession rule (see Legislation Act, s 104).
transit money—see section 210 (1).
trust account, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—see
section 210 (2) and (3).
trust account examination, for chapter 6 (Investigations)—see
trust account investigation, for chapter 6 (Investigations)—see
trust money means money entrusted to a law practice in the course of
or in connection with the provision of legal services by the practice,
and includes—
(a) money received by the practice on account of legal costs in
advance of providing the services; and
(b) controlled money received by the practice; and
(c) transit money received by the practice; and
(d) money received by the practice that is the subject of a power,
exercisable by the practice or an associate of the practice, to deal
with the money for or on behalf of another person.
trust property means property entrusted to a law practice in the course
of or in connection with the provision of legal services by the practice,
but does not include trust money.
trust records, for part 3.1 (Trust money and trust accounts)—see
section 210 (2) and (3).
uplift fee, for part 3.2 (Costs disclosure and assessment)—see
unrestricted practising certificate means a local practising certificate
that is an unrestricted practising certificate or an interstate practising
certificate that—
(a) is not subject to a condition under a corresponding law similar
to the condition under section 50 (Statutory condition about
practice as solicitor) or a similar condition under a
(b) is not subject to a condition that restricts the holder of the
certificate to practise only as or in the manner of a barrister; and
(c) is not subject to any other condition (other than a condition
requiring the holder of the certificate to undertake and complete
1 or more courses of continuing legal education or a condition
prescribed by regulation); and
(d) is not subject to a condition similar to a condition under
section 50 and whose holder would not be subject to a condition
under that section if the holder were to apply for and be granted
a local practising certificate.
unsatisfactory employment conduct—see section 388.
unsatisfactory professional conduct—see section 386.
1 About the endnotes
1 About the endnotes
Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the
amendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law
but are set out in the endnotes.
Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are
annotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be
obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.
Uncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details
of these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are
underlined in the legislation history and amendment history.
If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered
provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.
The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.