The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) has actively sought out the perspectives of lawyers and consumers to help improve the quality of services they provide – according to their annual report that was tabled in Parliament today.
Understanding and meeting customer needs
In 2023–24, the VLSB+C aimed to better understand what their customers want and need from them as the legal regulator. To do this, they looked at how they engage with their customers, and considered their experiences from their point of view:
- Customers asked about their experience – the outcomes of these surveys will help the VLSB+C to understand if their systems, processes and communications are meeting consumer and lawyer needs, and the changes they need to make if they’re not
- New process for when customers request an internal review of the VLSB+C’s decisions – this will improve consistency and transparency in their complaints-handling process, and identify ways to improve their services
- New reasonable adjustments policy – this will help the VLSB+C to better meet the needs of lawyers and consumers who need extra support when interacting with them
- Design finalised for a new consumer and lawyer online portal – this will enable the VLSB+C’s customers to interact with them online, securely and conveniently, and in a way that meets their needs and preferences.
Improving legal practice and ethics
In 2023–24, the VLSB+C maintained a clear commitment to helping Victorian lawyers achieve and maintain the highest ethical and professional standards, which helped to protect consumers:
- Most concerning risks for the profession spotlighted – the VLSB+C put forward these risks in their Risk Outlook 2024 and developed resources in response, including on how lawyers can meet the VLSB+C’s minimum cybersecurity expectations
- Early career lawyers and their supervisors surveyed on their experiences – the outcomes will enable the VLSB+C to gain a balanced understanding of supervised legal practice, and identify opportunities for improvement
- New ethics self-assessment tools – these resources will help lawyers understand and meet their ethical learning and development needs at each stage of their career.
Safeguarding consumers and learning more about their behaviour
In 2023–24, the VLSB+C addressed poor lawyer behaviour through their disciplinary processes, and proactively identified risky conduct early on. The VLSB+C also worked to better understand the experiences consumers have with lawyers, and in accessing the help they need.
- New research program established, and an in-depth survey conducted on how consumers understand the law and engage with lawyers – the outcomes will help in monitoring consumer behaviour and needs over time, and in informing policies that influence lawyer behaviour
- Managers appointed to take control of 20 law practices in Victoria that required intervention, for example, where the principal was not dealing adequately with trust money or was not properly managing the law practice – in doing so, the VLSB+C protected the interests of their clients and the wider public
- 1,299 issues resolved and 979 complaints closed, most commonly about costs and bills, professional conduct and poor service – around 3.5% of all solicitors and 2% of all barristers had a complaint made against them, which is very low compared to the total number of registered lawyers (28,831).
Addressing barriers to accessing justice
In 2023–24, $66.9 million was invested from the Public Purpose Fund – a statutory fund administered by the VLSB+C that funds legal regulation, and benefits consumers of legal services and the wider public:
- 14 organisations assisted, including Victoria Legal Aid and Justice Connect – these funds ensured organisations like these can keep working to overcome barriers to justice
- Grants awarded to 36 organisations – these included Change Grants that address issues limiting people's access to justice, and the new Strong Foundations Grants that invest flexible and stable funding over time, where it’s needed
- Key initiatives sponsored – such as the national Wellness for Law Forum, where academics, lawyers and law students shared research and experiences relating to wellbeing in legal education and practice.
Quote attributable to Board CEO and Commissioner Fiona McLeay:
“This year, we have committed ourselves to genuinely understanding and improving our customers’ experiences. At its core, this calls for us to start from a perspective other than our own – that of the lawyers and consumers who access our services. In doing so, we’re helping to ensure we understand and meet their specific needs, and continue to be a leading-edge, effective and impactful regulator.”