New Legal Services Agreement for NSW/VIC/WA

The new modern Legal Services Agreement for NSW, VIC, and WA offers clear, concise, and customisable options for beginning your relationship with your client.

Last month, we introduced a new and improved Employment Contract. Continuing our focus on content modernisation and process improvement, we have released a new Legal Services Agreement for use in the Legal Profession Uniform Law jurisdictions (New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia).

Agreement and Cover Letter

Suitable for all matter types, the new process includes a modern, clear and concise Legal Services Agreement and covering letter to client. Together these documents fulfil your disclosure obligations under the Legal Profession Uniform Law and protect your firm's interests, while communicating your position clearly to your clients to establish a positive relationship.

Easy to Use and Highly Customisable 

The new agreement provides a wide range of options through a new, streamlined and easy-to-follow form, allowing a high degree of customisation of your agreement depending on the circumstances of your matter and client. Options include:

• fixed fee or hourly rates;
• whole-of-matter or phase-by-phase estimates;
• no win, no fee provisions;
• separate estimates of counsel's fees and internal expenses (sundries) if desired;
• varying invoicing and payment intervals;
• single upfront or periodic retainer payments; and
• general or specific security interest clauses.

The covering letter automatically includes an outline of the key elements of the agreement, with options to include your firm’s logo and information about your firm’s practice, such as whether your office is paperless.

Accessing the new Legal Services Agreement

The updated Legal Services agreement is available now in Smarter Drafter and is labelled Legal Services Agreement – NSW/VIC/WA.