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Legal Practice Self-Assessment Audit

The Board has developed the below self-assessment audit, designed to assist law practices deliver on client expectations and meet their regulatory obligations.

Publication

Practice Management Course Guidelines for Victoria

The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner (VLSB+C) are responsible under the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Uniform Law) for ensuring that lawyers are competent and maintain high ethical and professional standards.

Policy

Grant of a Principal Practising Certificate

This policy outlines the approach to granting an Australian practising certificate that enables the holder to engage in legal practice as a principal

Fact sheet

Government Lawyers and Supervised Legal Practice under the Uniform Law

This fact sheet identifies the key points for government lawyer in relation to supervised legal practice under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Fact sheet

Government lawyers and the Uniform Law

This fact sheet identifies the key points for government lawyers under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

Policy

Foreign Lawyers Registration Policy

The Foreign Lawyer Registration Policy provides guidelines for the management of applications for registration as a foreign lawyer

Policy

Grant of Trust Authorisation Policy

This policy outlines the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner’s (VLSB+C) approach to granting an Australian practising certificate subject to a condition that the holder is authorised to receive trust money.

Form

Application for grant or renewal of registration as foreign lawyer

Use this form to apply for a grant or renewal of registration as a foreign lawyer.

Rules and Compliance

On this Page
What are legal profession rules?
Rules applicable to persons seeking admission
Rules applicable generally
Rules applicable to barristers
Rules applicable to solicitors

What are legal profession rules?

In Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, lawyers and law practices are subject to the same regulatory framework of Legal Profession Uniform Rules made by the Legal Services Council. These Rules are provided for under the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014.

The rule-making power is provided under the Legal Profession Uniform Law and is very broad. Uniform Rules may be made with respect to any matter that the Uniform Law requires or permits to be specified in Uniform Rules or that is necessary or convenient to be specified for carrying out or giving effect to the Uniform Law.

Uniform Rules may apply to qualified entities (including Australian legal practitioners, law practices and Australian-registered foreign lawyers), Australian lawyers who are not Australian legal practitioners, former Australian legal practitioners, former Australian-registered foreign lawyers, former Australian lawyers, persons seeking admission, lay associates of law practices and approved clerks. Failure to comply with Uniform Rules may constitute unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct.

Rules applicable to persons seeking admission

The following Uniform Rules apply to all persons seeking admission:

Rules applicable generally

The following Uniform Rules apply to all those who have rights and responsibilities under the Uniform Law – qualified entities (including Australian legal practitioners, law practices and Australian-registered foreign lawyers), Australian lawyers who are not Australian legal practitioners, former Australian legal practitioners, former Australian-registered foreign lawyers, former Australian lawyers, persons seeking admission, lay associates of law practices and approved clerks:

Rules applicable to barristers

The following Uniform Rules apply only to barristers:

Rules applicable to solicitors

The following Uniform Rules apply only to solicitors:

 

Last updated on

Non lawyer disciplinary action

On this Page
Disqualified Persons
Note on Disqualified Persons

This page lists the names of people disqualified under the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014 (Vic) and earlier equivalent Victorian legislation.

These persons are prohibited from working for a local legal practitioner or law practice in any capacity, without prior approval of the Victorian Legal Services Board.

They form part of a broader category known as ‘prohibited lay associates’. See further information on non-legal employees and our Fact sheet – Prohibited lay associates (see below).

A lawyer or law practice wishing to employ a prohibited lay associate must apply to the Board for approval to do so. Failure to obtain Board permission exposes the lawyer or law practice and the prohibited lay associate to prosecution.

The table below is not exhaustive and will be updated as new orders are made.  Where available, the decisions or orders have been linked to the names of each individual.

Disqualified Persons

(See Note on Disqualified Persons below)

The table lists the names of people disqualified by order of:

  1. the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), and
  2. the former Victorian Legal Profession Tribunal (VLPT).
NAME PERIOD OF DISQUALIFICATION CITATION / DATE OF ORDER
JUDD, Paul William 21 September 2012 – no end date (Indefinite) [2012] VCAT 1422
KYRIACKOU, Michael Antonio 17 June 2013 – [2013] VCAT 735
Order of 17 June 2013
LELLETON, John Leo 24 May 2013 – no end date (Indefinite) Order of 24 May 2013 
SWIES, Dorian 1 December 2015 –
1 December 2025		 VLSB v Swies
GODRIDGE, Lauren 25 May 2017 –
25 May 2027		 VLSB v Godridge
Frith, Samantha 14 March 2018 –
14 March 2028		 VLSB v Frith

Razos, Athena*

*Please see our statement: VLSB v RAZOS for a list of aliases by which Ms Razos has otherwise been known by from time to time.

 18 November 2020 – no end date (Indefinite) VLSB v RAZOS

 

Note on Disqualified Persons

The disqualified persons listed in the table are only those non-lawyers who have been prohibited from working in a law practice or for a lawyer by VCAT or Court orders due to inappropriate conduct.

The law also disqualifies a broader range of people than those listed above in connection with legal services.  All of these disqualified persons are also prohibited lay associates and include a person:

  • whose name has been removed from an Australian roll (struck off);
  • whose Australian practising certificate has been suspended or cancelled;
  • who has been refused a renewal of an Australian practising certificate; or
  • who has been disqualified from managing an incorporated legal practice or being in partnership with an Australian legal practitioner

A further category of prohibited person, not listed in this table, is any person who has been found guilty of theft or a criminal dishonesty offence.

For details of disciplinary action taken against Australian legal practitioners and former lawyers see either the Register of Lawyers or the Register of Disciplinary Action (lawyers).

Last updated on
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