Practitioner standards and compliance

This page provides access to the key documents and resources for private practitioners who are members of Legal Aid WA panels and lists.

All practitioners on a Legal Aid WA panel or list are required to sign the Professional Services Agreement (PSA). The PSA establishes the overarching framework governing the delivery of legal services under a grant of aid.

Panel and list members must also comply with Legal Aid WA’s policies, procedures and guidelines, including the Private Practitioner Manual (PPM). The PPM outlines important requirements and protocols, including the process for briefing other lawyers to appear in matters funded under criminal and family law grants.

The obligations contained in the PSA and the PPM apply throughout a practitioner’s membership on any Legal Aid WA panel or list, in addition to the professional and ethical obligations that apply to all legal practitioners.

To ensure compliance with its standards, policies and guidelines, Legal Aid WA may conduct audits of practitioners in accordance with the Audit and Compliance Policy.

Practitioners who wish to brief a duty lawyer to appear for a client, or who provide duty lawyer services in criminal matters before the Magistrates Court or Children’s Court, must follow the procedures set out in the Duty Lawyer Services Protocol.

For information about claiming payment from Legal Aid for services provided in an assigned matter, practitioners should refer to the Guide to Claiming Payment.

Private Practitioner Manual

The Manual is the best place to start if you are applying for, or have been assigned, a grant of aid. The Manual covers:

submitting applications for a grant of aid, extension or transfer
how grants of aid are assigned and accepted
rights of reconsideration and review
engaging other lawyers to provide legal services in matters assigned to you
hiring experts
practice and case management standards
managing files, keeping records and providing progress reports, and
practitioner payments, disbursements, client contributions and court costs.

Professional Services Agreement

The PSA gives a broad structure to how private practitioners engage with Legal Aid WA and provide legal services under a grant of aid.

Under the PSA, a practitioner agrees to:

act honestly and in good faith when dealing with Legal Aid WA
respond fully and promptly to our requests for information
cooperate in our investigation or handling of a complaint against the practitioner
participate in file audits for matters with a grant of aid, and
allow Legal Aid WA to monitor and take action to address compliance issues.

The PSA also imposes some general professional standards on practitioners assigned grants of aid, including to:

take responsibility for the performance of legal services
act honestly, ethically and professionally
treat all parties involved in a matter with dignity and respect
provide legal services in an effective, efficient and economical manner, and
comply with the practice and case management standards contained in the Manual.

Audit and Compliance Policy

This Policy explains the process involved when a private practitioner is audited by Legal Aid WA and describes the things we look for during an audit. The Policy also provides information about potential audit outcomes, which range from taking no action through to removal from a panel or list and referral to the Legal Practice Board of WA.

Duty Lawyer Services Protocol

The Protocol sets out the scope of the duty lawyer service Legal Aid WA provides for criminal and some traffic matters in the Magistrates and Children’s Courts.

From time-to-time, we engage private practitioners to cover gaps in our duty lawyer rosters. Private practitioners who are hired to provide duty lawyer services must comply with the Protocol.

Private practitioners who want to brief the duty lawyer to appear in court for their client (whether or not they have a grant of aid), must follow the procedure described in the Protocol.

Guide to Claiming Payment

This document provides detailed guidance about how to submit a claim for payment. More information is available in the section on Managing grants of aid.

Get help

The current membership of each panel and list can be checked by looking at our Practitioner panels and lists.

If you have questions about audits, our policies or your obligations when providing legal services under a grant of aid, contact Standards and Engagement by email or telephone (08) 9261 6829.

Useful documents

Reviewed: 20 July 2026

Read our Private Practitioner Manual

All lawyers doing work on behalf of Legal Aid WA must comply with the Manual.