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Snapshot

  • The Legal Profession Uniform Law commenced on 1 July 2015.
  • The new laws usher in a new regulatory framework for solicitors and open up a larger national legal market.
  • The new regulatory framework will see a continuation of most existing professional ethics obligations.
  • The Law Society will continue to offer assistance to the profession to ensure a smooth transition to the new framework.

The much awaited reform of the Australian legal market is now becoming a reality with the commencement of the Legal Profession Uniform Law and associated legislation on 1 July 2015 in New South Wales and Victoria.

Many practitioners have made enquiries as to what this means for their day-to-day practice and it is an opportune time to review how professional ethics are affected by these changes.

The outgoing regulatory framework ended on 30 June 2015, marking the cessation of the NSW Legal Profession Act, the NSW Legal Profession Regulations and the NSW Professional Conduct and Practice Rules 2013 (Solicitors’ Rules).

Replacing these will be the Legal Profession Uniform Law 2015 (LPUL) with associated legislation such as:

  • The Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015. This will cover many of the items previously listed in the NSW Legal Profession Regulations;
  • The Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules. These will incorporate many of the rules already used in the Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules (ASCR) previously adopted as the NSW Professional Conduct and Practice Rules 2013 (Solicitors’ Rules) and which commenced on 1 January 2014.

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