269Consumer matters (including costs disputes)

269 Consumer matters (including costs disputes)

269 Consumer matters (including costs disputes)

(1) A consumer matter is so much of a complaint about a lawyer or a law practice as relates to the provision of legal services to the complainant by the lawyer or law practice and as the designated local regulatory authority determines should be resolved by the exercise of functions relating to consumer matters.

Note

A determination of the designated local regulatory authority under subsection (1) does not prevent the dispute or issue also being dealt with as a disciplinary matter—see section 268(2).

(2) A costs dispute is a consumer matter involving a dispute about legal costs payable on a solicitor-client basis where the dispute is between a lawyer or law practice and a person who is charged with those legal costs or is liable to pay those legal costs (other than under a court or tribunal order for costs), whether as a client of the lawyer or law practice or as a third party payer.

Note

Section 291 enables the designated local regulatory authority to deal with costs disputes within certain monetary limits.