Commissioner’s message
Every lawyer's career begins with an oath or affirmation pledging to conduct themselves truly and honestly as an Australian lawyer and officer of the court. As the regulator of Victoria’s legal profession, we work to help lawyers to honour that commitment to serve the public good and the administration of justice throughout their careers.
Last month, we hosted The Citizen Lawyer symposium to explore the role lawyers can play as defenders and advancers of the rule of law. The symposium brought together more than 100 leaders, practitioners, academics, regulators and policymakers to explore a central question: what should society reasonably expect of lawyers because they are lawyers? The symposium was designed around the concept of the lawyer as both a professional service provider and a steward of the rule of law. It touched on issues such as access to justice, institutional legitimacy, accountability and fairness.
Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence (AI) featured prominently in the discussion, with conversations focusing on how we can articulate and communicate the value lawyers bring to our community as AI is increasingly integrated into the production of legal work.
Our 2026 Lawyer Census shows that 55% of Victorian lawyers are using AI in their legal work, up from 37% last year highlighting the need for clear guidance for its use.
When used ethically and competently, AI can help lawyers expand access to quality legal help across the community. But its risks need to be carefully managed. That is why we have developed new resources to support lawyers to use AI safely and responsibly. They include practical advice on using AI in everyday legal work, as well as step-by-step checklists to help practices assess AI tools and implement appropriate safeguards. Read more on the resources below.
In September, we also hosted a study tour for the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of Naoero (Nauru), supported by the United Nations Development Programme. The visit reflected strong interest in Victoria’s approach to legal regulation and provided a valuable opportunity for mutual learning. We exchanged ideas on regulatory practice, professional standards, institutional integrity and the administration of justice. Colleagues from the Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Bar also generously shared their time and expertise. We heard from the delegation that their biggest takeaways were around our role, working in collaboration with Law Institute of Victoria and the Victorian Bar, in supporting and educating the profession, and our dispute resolution functions.
It has never been more important for lawyers to embrace their identity as citizen lawyers. The decisions lawyers make every day, both large and small, have the power to make a positive difference to the lives of individuals, thereby strengthening communities, and incrementally increasing trust in institutions and our democracy. This edition offers both new guidance, as well as a couple of cautionary tales, and I hope you find them valuable in your daily practice.
Fiona McLeay
Board CEO and Commissioner
New resources to support the use of artificial intelligence
We have published new resources to support lawyers and law practices to make informed decisions about the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
AI tools have the potential to enhance greater access to legal services and improve efficiency of service delivery. As these technologies become more common in legal practice, we want to support lawyers to understand both the opportunities they present and the risks that must be considered.
Our Risk Outlook 2026 highlights how the use of AI tools creates risks that must be managed to comply with professional obligations and foreshadowed that we would provide lawyers with further guidance on the use of AI in legal practice.
These new resources, targeted primarily at sole practitioners and small firms, support that commitment by providing practical guidance that explains the capabilities, potential benefits and risks of AI tools. They also include checklists that offer a step-by-guide to assessing platforms and developing protocols to ensure safe and responsible use.
In developing the resources, we also responded to feedback from the profession. In the 2025 Lawyer Census, 70% of Victorian practitioners indicated they would benefit from more guidance on how AI could enhance efficiency and be used safely and ethically in practice.
Regardless of where you work, the resources are designed to guide you on what to consider when you use AI to support your legal practice.
The resources include:
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AI for lawyers: a practical guide with examples of how AI can be used in everyday legal work, with tips to ensure ethical and responsible use
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AI checklist for law practice leaders and principals: to help practices prepare for safe and responsible AI use
- AI checklist for lawyers: to help all lawyers use AI responsibly in daily work.
These resources are to be used in tandem with the Statement on the use of artificial intelligence in Australian legal practice.
Case study: more than $700,000 stolen following cybersecurity incident
Cybercrime is a major risk for law practices due to the large sums of money and sensitive information entrusted to lawyers. We are seeing scammers use increasingly sophisticated technology, such as artificial intelligence, to gain access to systems and make communications appear more convincing. It is essential that you protect your clients, and your law practice, by implementing strong cybersecurity protocols and ensuring staff adhere to them.
Recently, around $700,000 in trust money was stolen from a law practice after its email system was compromised. An employee clicked on a link in a sophisticated phishing email, enabling the scammer to access their work email account. The scammer intercepted a payment requisition and altered the bank details of the intended recipient.
The breach was uncovered when the intended recipient contacted the law practice seeking an update on the payment. The law practice traced the transaction and discovered the funds had been transferred into the fraudster's bank accounts. The law practice engaged IT experts, who identified how the cyberattack occurred and implemented additional security measures.
To help prevent cyberattacks and protect client information, we expect law practices to:
- Verify payment details using a pre-established alternative communication method, such as by phone or in person, before making money transfers.
- Maintain critical controls, including multi-factor authentication, strong passwords or passphrases and applying security updates to software and devices.
- Provide ongoing education to staff about cybersecurity and scams so they remain alert to emerging threats.
If your law practice experiences a cyber security incident, follow our guidance on how to respond and ensure you report it to us via our lawyer enquiry form.
You should also ensure your cybersecurity practices meet our Minimum Cybersecurity Expectations. Failing to do so can amount to unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct.
Identify and avoid common conveyancing mistakes
Conveyancing complaints about lawyers in Victoria are rising. In 2024-2025, conveyancing accounted for around 6% of the complaints received by our office. We are also seeing property and conveyancing issues in other practice areas, such as family law complaints. This is consistent with data from the Legal Practitioners Liability Committee (LPLC), which reports that property and conveyancing claims account for the highest number (25%) and cost (38%) of professional indemnity claims.
With the spring selling season underway, now is a good time to review your practices and take steps to avoid common conveyancing mistakes.
Understand and manage the legal issues
Overlooked legal issues and administrative errors can have significant consequences for clients. Common mistakes include incorrectly registering a title as joint tenants, instead of tenants in common, or making incorrect calculations of adjustments. Stay up to date with legislative changes, carefully check documentation and calculations, and have appropriate processes in place to identify and correct errors before they affect your client.
Communicate information and advice clearly and accessibly
For many clients, buying or selling a property is an unfamiliar and significant transaction. Clearly explain the scope of your engagement, your role and responsibilities, and any limitations on the work that you will undertake. Provide advice in plain language, check that clients understand and emphasise the importance of reading and understanding the contract of sale before signing.
For further information, the Legal Practitioners Liability Committee (LPLC) have a range of helpful conveyancing resources, checklists and alerts.
Resources to prevent and respond to sexual harassment
Our 2025 Lawyer Census found that 1 in 3 lawyers have experienced sexual harassment at work, while nearly half have witnessed it.
These findings highlight that sexual harassment remains a significant and unacceptable issue in Victoria's legal profession.
As we approach the end-of-year festive season, many lawyers will be attending work parties and other workplace events. This is a timely reminder of the importance of maintaining safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces, and of the resources available to support lawyers and law practices to prevent and respond to sexual harassment.
These include our:
If you have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in the legal profession, you can make a complaint to our specialist Sexual Harassment Complains team.
Complaints can be made formally or anonymously by phone, email or using our online reporting tool. Read more about how we can support you or watch Board CEO and Commissioner Fiona McLeay explain the process.
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, that a reasonable person would anticipate would make the other person feel offended, humiliated or intimated.
All Victorian employers have a positive duty to eliminate workplace sexual harassment and to protect employees from psychological injury. This includes taking appropriate steps to prevent sexual harassment and respond effectively when it occurs.
What makes a competent lawyer: findings from the 2025 Lawyer Census
A new report from the 2025 Lawyer Census sheds light on the skills Victorian lawyers believe are most important to competent practice. The findings show that lawyers value a broad range of key competencies and are broadly aligned in their understanding of what skills they should each possess with some variation across career stage and practice area. These include technical skills across legal knowledge and how to apply it, as well as general skills such as having the ability to communicate clearly.
The report comes at a timely moment, amidst a national review of Practical Legal Training, and makes the case for further research into lawyer competency.
2026 Legal Understanding the Lawyer Use (LULU) Survey
The Legal Services Research Centre has completed fieldwork for the 2026 Legal Understanding and Lawyer Use (LULU) Survey. This important project will provide new insights into how Australians experience legal problems, interact with the law and access legal services.
By capturing the legal capability, legal needs and responses of 7,500 people across Australia each year, LULU gives a far more detailed account than ever of when the justice system meets people's needs, where gaps exist and what can be done to improve access to justice.
Over the next four years, the Centre will survey participants annually, creating a unique dataset that will deepen our understanding of legal need and service use over time.
The Citizen Lawyer Symposium
Last year, the rule of law declined in 68% of countries, according to the World Justice Project. While Australia performed strongly, we also face challenges, including declining trust in institutions and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).
Against this backdrop, we brought together more than 100 leaders, practitioners, academics and policymakers from across Victoria's legal sector to explore how lawyers can play a greater role in upholding the rule of law and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
Our ‘The Citizen Lawyer’ symposium featured speakers and panelists including Jidah Clark (Chair of the Victorian Treaty Authority), Jordan Furlong (legal sector analyst), the Hon. Justice Amanda Chambers (on behalf of the Hon. Chief Justice Richard Niall) and our CEO and Commissioner Fiona McLeay.
Some of the takeaways from the discussion included that:
- We must work to develop deeper understandings of Aboriginal Lore and Western legal traditions and create greater dialogue between them.
- We need to adopt AI in a safe and responsible way that increases our capacity to apply legal judgement and advocate for our clients.
- Too often a preoccupation with our commercial obligations outweighs our responsibilities to the role of law. We need to consider how we can better integrate these roles through education, role modelling and reflective practice.
- We need to communicate better so that legal advice is clear and accessible, and clients have a greater understanding of their rights.
This discussion sits at the heart of our mission to maintain and enhance public trust and confidence in Victorian lawyers, and to support and strengthen the rule of law.
Other news
Law Library Victoria
Law Library Victoria sets direction with new strategy
The rule of law depends on knowledge being fair, reliable, and enduring. Our community relies on institutions like Law Library Victoria to provide equitable access to authoritative information they can trust, and to be a dependable source in an increasingly complex world. This work is not a responsibility taken lightly, and the Law Library Strategy 2026 Onwards will help shape a sustainable library service with impact into the future.
The strategy identifies four priorities — collection, skills, space, and capacity — each with clear actions and performance measures. These include curating legal content, delivering a tailored education program, expanding digital access, and strengthening financial planning and data systems. The plan was shaped through consultation with the Library's stakeholders and will guide decision-making and track progress in the years ahead. Read the Law Library Strategy 2026 Onwards
Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee
Stay informed to manage your risk
The Legal Practitioners’ Liability Committee (LPLC) hosts webinars to help lawyers stay informed about emerging risks in legal practice. These sessions are free to attend, and recordings are available on the LPLC website. Recent webinars include:
- Managing risks in litigation
- Drafting under pressure: Reducing risk and claim
- Owner-builders and the section 32: How the law changed on 1 July
The LPLC has also updated its checklists when acting for vendors in sales of real estate:
- Vendor practitioner section 32 statement and contract checklist
- Sale of land - questions for the vendor
Subscribe to the LPLC mailing list
Sentencing Advisory Council
You Be the Judge
The Sentencing Advisory Council has launched its new Virtual You Be the Judge, an interactive online resource designed to help the community better understand how sentencing works in Victoria. Based on real Victorian cases, the platform puts users in the judge’s seat, asking them to consider the offence circumstances, the person being sentenced and the factors judges must take into account before deciding what sentence to impose. Users can then compare their decision with the sentence imposed in the real case. This program is funded through the VLSBC’s Public Purpose Fund. Access You Be the Judge
Victorian Bar
Legends of the Bar
The Victorian Bar has announced the recipients of the 2026 Bar Legends Awards. The award recognises barristers who have made a significant and enduring contribution to the Victorian Bar and the legal profession, generally. Congratulations to the following: Neil Young KC, Simon Wilson KC, Jack Rush AO RFD KC, Peter Jopling AM KC, Paul Holdenson KC, David Brown KC, Jennifer Batrouney AM KC, Tim Tobin SC, Fiona McLeod AO SC, Michael Wilson SC, David Brustman KC, Rachel Doyle SC, Dr Matt Collins AM KC and Geoffrey Steward.
Victoria Law Foundation
VLF 2025-26 Annual Report
The Victoria Law Foundation has released its 2025-26 annual report. The report highlights how VLF:
- deepened its understanding of how people engage with civil law through rigorous research and meaningful collaboration
- created strong opportunities for Victorians to be better informed about their rights and have improved access to legal services, and
- continued to invest in high performing teams.
Read the Victoria Law Foundation Annual Report
Victoria Legal Aid
Youth citizenship project extended and open for referrals
The Youth Citizenship in the West project has been extended to support young people from refugee backgrounds to obtain Australian citizenship. Victorian Legal Aid are actively welcoming new referrals for clients who:
- are aged 25 or younger
- are from a refugee background
- reside in Melbourne’s western suburbs.
Read Youth Citizenship in the West project.
Legal assistance key to prevent and respond to violence against women and children
Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) recently made a submission to the Second Action Plan under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children. VLA recommended increased funding for legal assistance to ensure that, at a minimum, all family violence victim survivors living under the poverty line can access legal help with family law, and that systems abuse be recognised as a form of family violence used to harm victim survivors.