Table of contents
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Table of contents
- 1 – Introduction
- 2 – Types of matters that may be assisted
- 3 – Criminal law guidelines
- 4 – Commonwealth family law and child support guidelines
- 5 – Commonwealth civil law guidelines
- 6 – State family guidelines
- 7 – State civil law guidelines
- 8 – Public interest and strategic litigation
- 9 – Standard grants assessment process
- 10 – Simplified grants assessment process
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11 – Referral and practitioner panels
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Section 29A practitioner panels
- Removal and suspension from a section 29A panel
- Section 29A panel practitioner manual
- Section 30 Referral Panel
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Section 29A practitioner panels
- 12 – Means test
- 13 – Commonwealth merits test
- 14 – State reasonableness test and interests of justice test
- 15 – Special circumstances
- 16 – Applying for a grant of legal assistance
- 17 – Decision to grant or refuse assistance
- 18 – Reconsideration and review of decisions
- 19 – Standard terms and conditions
- 20 – Contributions and overdue payments
- 21 – Abandoning legal assistance
- 22 – Finalising grants of legal assistance
- 23 – Allocation of work to lawyers and law firms
- 24 – Payments to lawyers and service providers
- 25 – Compliance reviews
- 26 – Privacy protection
- 27 – Complaints and feedback
- Topic index
- Invoice, worksheets and forms
- Contact us
Removal and suspension from a section 29A panel
Request to be removed from the panel
If a private law firm or private lawyer requests in writing, that VLA removes their name from the panel, then VLA must comply with the request.
Removal or suspension of a member by VLA
Part 7 of the Section 29A panel practitioner manual sets out the procedure VLA must follow to suspend or remove a private law firm or private lawyer from the panel.
Reinstatement to the panel
Material change in circumstances
If there has been a material change in the circumstances of a private law firm or of a private lawyer whom VLA has removed from the Section 29A Practitioner Panel, then the firm or lawyer may seek reinstatement to the panel.
Where a lawyer is acquitted of criminal charge or a conviction is overturned
A lawyer who has been removed is entitled to seek reinstatement if both:
- VLA removed them because of a pending criminal investigation or after a criminal conviction
- the lawyer is acquitted or their conviction is overturned on appeal.
In these circumstances, VLA cannot refuse to reinstate the lawyer unless VLA is satisfied on reasonable grounds that section 7 of the Legal Aid Act 1978 requires that the lawyer remain excluded from the panel.
Passage of time
A lawyer who has been removed may seek reinstatement to the panel after a period of removal.
In deciding whether to reinstate the lawyer as a panel member, VLA may take into account any information and circumstances VLA considers to be relevant.