To clients: When a barrister acts for you in court or gives you advice you are entitled to expect your case to be handled in a professional and ethical manner. If you feel that this has not happened and you wish to have the conduct of the barrister investigated, you may lodge a complaint with the Legal Services Commissioner.

See further complaints about Conduct and Contact.

If you have a dispute with your barrister regarding the barristers fee or if you believe that you have suffered a pecuniary loss as the result of unethical or unprofessional conduct, you may lodge with the Legal Services Commissioner a request to attempt to resolve this dispute.

See further Disputes about fees and pecuniary loss.

In either case, you are asked to complete a complaint form, sign it and return it to the Legal Services Commissioner. See Contact. (Acrobat Reader is required to view the Complaint Form. Click here to go to Adobe’s site to download free the Reader.)

To whom does one complain?

Any person may, pursuant to s4.2.1 of Legal Profession Act 2004, complain about the conduct of a barrister to the Legal Services Commissioner.

Commissioners referral or delegation to the Bar

The Commissioner may, pursuant to s4.4.9 of the Act refer a disciplinary complaint to the Victorian Bar Inc for investigation.

If a disciplinary complaint is referred to the Bar under section 4.4.9, the Bar must investigate the complaint and report to the Commissioner about the complaint by the stated date or a later date stated in an extension.

See further complaints about Conduct and Contact.

The Commissioner has delegated to the Victorian Bar Inc the function of attempting to resolve a civil dispute, together with certain ancillary functions and powers relating to civil disputes.

The Commissioner may not delegate the function of receiving and dealing with disputed legal costs: s 6.3.12(2)(a)(iii).

See further Disputes about fees and pecuniary loss.