Legal costs and protecting consumer rights
Legal costs and protecting consumer rights
Last updated on
For most complaints you must try to resolve the issue with the lawyer first. If you have tried and cannot fix the problem, or it's not reasonable for you to do so, we may be able to help.
Please consider the information below before making a complaint.
When you hire a lawyer in Victoria they charge professional fees for their services.
How much they will charge you depends on a few things such as:
There are several billing methods that lawyers may use to charge for their services.
You can choose how often you are billed and how your costs are listed. Some legal bills only include the total amount due, others list all (or part) of the cost per item of work. Please discuss these options with your lawyer.
You can receive a bill for a part of the legal services that your lawyer will provide. For example, you can ask to pay your bill monthly or during set stages.
Your bill should reflect the estimate given to you in your costs disclosure for any legal work that will cost more than $750 in total.
A lawyer’s bill is in two parts.
When you are looking for a lawyer it’s important to find someone who’s right for you and your situation. You can use our register to search for a registered lawyer. The Law Institute of Victoria also offers consumers a legal referral service.
Your lawyer must give you a bill before they ask you to pay your account.
They cannot charge you for preparing or giving you their bill.
Refer to our Before making an enquiry or complaint page.
Thank you for your email/query.
At this stage you are not required to do anything further. In the meantime, if you would like further information about how we can assist you, please visit our website at: https://lsbc.vic.gov.au/consumers/how-we-can-help
Privacy Collection Statement
This report contains information about our operations and financial performance for the 2020-21 financial year.