The Society has prepared documentation to assist users of legal services in understanding their rights in regards to the cost of their legal services provided.

Legal costs - your right to know - explains the process of disputing lawyers' costs and includes information on topics such as:

• your right to:
  • negotiate,
  • enter into a costs agreement,
  • receive a bill of costs,
  • be notified of changes,
  • request written progress reports; and
• what to do if you are unhappy with your legal costs.

Your right to challenge legal costs - includes information on topics such as:

• Talking to your lawyer
• Lump sum and itemised bills
• Costs mediation
• Costs assessment
• Setting aside a costs agreement
• Other avenues for challenging legal costs.

Legal Costs Mediation Less than $10,000 - includes

• Clients right to refer mediation to Statutory Supervisor
• An application form including details of supporting documents required

Application for costs assessment - includes information on:

• Background to costs assessment
• The fee
• The application
• An application form

The Society regulates conduct rules between lawyers and deals with complaints against lawyers.

The Legal Profession Act 2006 provides for the Society to be the first tier of a three-tiered system of regulation of the legal profession, comprising the Society, the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal and the Supreme Court.

The Society will assess and/or investigate complaints and refer serious matters to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. In order to do this, complaints must be made in writing to the Society.

BEFORE lodging your complaint, please read the Complaints and Discipline Guide.

You can lodge a complaint against a lawyer using the Complaint Form.

All completed Complaint Forms can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or posted to:

Manager Regulatory Services
Law Society Northern Territory
GPO Box 2388
Darwin NT 0801

A complainant not satisfied with the Society's handling of a complaint may refer the matter to the Legal Practitioners' Disciplinary Tribunal.

Please note:
The Law Society Northern Territory does not offer legal advice.

The Legal Referral Service is a service coordinated by the Society for the benefit of members of the public.

Firms advise the Society of the areas of law in which they practice (e.g. criminal law, family law, civil litigation etc.) and members of the public can then access the information here.

You can find a practitioner participating in the First Interview Scheme here.

Please note:
The Law Society Northern Territory does not offer legal advice.

The Society coordinates a scheme that enables a member of the public to have an initial 30-minute consultation with a legal practitioner for $99.00 (including GST). The scheme introduces clients to the firm and provides the client with an opportunity to obtain initial advice on their situation.

Conditions of the Scheme are:

1. Consultations are strictly limited to 30 minutes
2. The client must make an appointment with the firm under the First Interview Scheme
3. The client must pay the $99.00 fee at the conclusion of the consultation.

You can view listings by area of law e.g. criminal law, family law, civil ligitgation etc. on this page.

The legal profession recognises the Opening of the Legal Year in February each year with events osted by the Law Society and the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, that include a keynote speaker and provides an opportunity to reflect on their role of administering the justice system.

Traditionally, Opening of the Legal Year ceremonies were steeped in tradition. The legal profession and local dignitaries participated in a procession into the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory for an ecumenical service, which Ministers of different denominations are invited to conduct each year.

Page last updated 6 March 2014

The Law Society Public Purposes Trust (LSPPT) was established in 1988 for the purpose of improving legal education and services within the community. The LSPPT is administered by the Law Society Northern Territory (the Society) and provides grants to fund projects that further the objectives of:

1. Advancing legal education within the community 
2. Advancing the collection, review and dissemination of legal information within the community
3. Improving community access to legal services
4. Improving legal services available to the community
5. Protecting community members using legal services

PROCESS

Applications for grants are considered by the Allocations Committee, which comprises three members, two nominated by the Society and one by the NT Attorney-General. The Allocations Committee makes recommendations on projects to fund to the Attorney-General, who has the final approval for all grants. The Attorney-General has 6 weeks to consider the recommendations of the Allocations Committee and make a determination. Applicants will be notified of the outcome once the determination of the Attorney-General is received.

FUTURE

The Law Society Public Purposes Trust has a limited amount of funding to disburse in the form of Grants and it is intended that once remaining funds are expended that the Trust will be closed, likely in the 2022-23 financial year. Grants of up to a maximum of $10,000 are invited and projects will be required to be completed by June 2022.

PROGRAM AND DEADLINES

For the 2021-22 financial year there will be a further 2 rounds of grants advertised via the NT News and this website. Funds permitting, further rounds may be advertised in April/May 2022. Advertising dates and closing dates for applications are set out below. Closing dates for applications are firm due to the tight time frames of each round. Applications that miss the closing date can be considered in the next round.

GUIDELINES

The Guidelines for Applicants are provided below and contain the Grant Application Form which must be completed.

• Public Purposes Trust Guidelines for Applicants

CONTACT DETAILS

Secretary
Law Society Public Purposes Trust
GPO Box 2388
DARWIN NT 0801

Telephone: (08) 8981 5104
Fax: (08) 8941 1623
LSPPT ABN: 48 813 464 972
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Law Society can source speakers from within the legal profession to conduct legal education sessions in Territory schools.

If you are interested in having a solicitor speak at your school, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your preferred date, time, topic and venue.

The Law Society invites secondary legal studies teachers to advise us of the topics most relevant to their curriculum at the time, so appropriate speakers can be sourced.

6 March 2014

Funds Management Committee, Law Society Public Purposes Trust, Law Society Northern Territory Professional Indemnity Insurance Scheme warning

Please note that the person responsible for the following matters is not licensed by ASIC under the Corporations Act:

In respect of the Law Society Northern Territory - for the operation of the Law Society Public Purposes Trust Fund established under the trust deed set out in the Schedule of the Law Society Public Purposes Trust Act (now repealed).

Also note that the Law Society Northern Territory, and Funds Management Committee established by section 659 of the Legal Profession Act of the Northern Territory are not licensed under the Corporations Act in relation to the following schemes and the schemes are not regulated under the Insurance Act 1973:

1. Professional indemnity insurance arrangements pursuant to Part 3.4 of the Legal Profession Act of the Northern Territory.
2. The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund of the Northern Territory established under section 385 of the Legal Profession Act of the Northern Territory.