The Office of the Legal Services Commissioner ('OLSC') is an independent body that handles complaints about lawyers practicing in New South Wales. It is led by the NSW Legal Services Commissioner, supported by staff who help exercise the functions and powers of the office. If you have concerns about a lawyer's conduct, you can report them to the OLSC for investigation.
What types of complaints can you make?
You can make a complaint to the OLSC about the services, advice, or treatment you receive from solicitors, barristers, or law practices operating in NSW. Complaints fall into three categories: consumer matters, disciplinary matters, or a mix of both.
Service, Advice, and Treatment Issues: You can complain about:
- Poor communication
- Issues with bills and costs
- Handling of documents
- Failure to release a client's documents or property
- Poor service or discourtesy
- Delays or mistakes
- Threatening or abusive behaviour
- Breach of confidentiality
- Misleading conduct
- Acting with a conflict of interest
- Not following instructions
- Stealing trust money
- Inappropriate personal conduct (discrimination, sexual harassment, bullying)
Consumer Matters: Less serious issues that do not involve unsatisfactory professional conduct or misconduct, such as:
- Delays
- Costs
- Poor communication and rudeness
- Release of a client's documents or property
Disciplinary Matters: Serious issues that may amount to unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct, such as:
- Threatening or abusive behaviour
- Non-disclosure of costs
- Negligence
- Minor breach of conduct rules
- Breach of confidentiality
Professional Misconduct: Serious or consistent failures to meet reasonable standards, including:
- Gross overcharging
- Conflicts of interest
- Misleading or dishonest conduct
- Misappropriation of trust money
- Criminal or tax offences
Mixed Complaints:
- Complaints involving both consumer and disciplinary matters. The OLSC may prioritise resolving the consumer matter first.
Costs Disputes: Complaints about legal costs. The OLSC generally handles costs disputes if:
- The total bill for legal costs is less than $314,330; or
- The total bill for legal costs equals or is more than $314,330, but the total amount in dispute is less than $31,440.
These amounts are indexed annually. Before lodging a costs complaint, you should contact the OLSC Inquiry Line on 1800 242 958 or (02) 9377 1800 to check the current thresholds and whether the OLSC can deal with your circumstances.
Inappropriate Personal Conduct
- Complaints about discrimination, sexual harassment, or bullying that happens at a law practice or in a barrister's chambers.
Jurisdiction:
The OLSC has the authority to handle complaints under NSW law about solicitors and barristers practising in NSW, and law practices operating in NSW.
Time Limitations:
- Complaints not involving legal costs: within three years from the date the issue arose, with exceptions for fairness or public interest.
- Complaints involving legal costs: within 60 days after the legal costs become payable, or within 30 days after your request for an itemised bill was complied with. The OLSC may be able to deal with a costs dispute outside this timeframe in limited circumstances, but the time limit cannot be extended if the lawyer has already started legal proceedings to recover the unpaid costs.
The OLSC cannot:
- Provide legal advice or representation
- Intervene in current court or tribunal proceedings
- Investigate or change court findings
- Order documents to be delivered up, although it may be able to deal with some lien-related complaints and discharge a lien for specified documents
- Assist in debt recovery matters
- Order the removal of a caveat
- Handle complaints about judges, magistrates, or court staff
Who can you make a complaint against?
You can complain about:
- Solicitors practising in NSW
- Barristers practising in NSW
- Law firms operating in NSW
The OLSC cannot handle complaints about:
- Solicitors or barristers acting as judges or magistrates
- Court staff, judges, or magistrates
- Paralegals, law clerks, and unlicensed practitioners
- Migration agents
- Licensed conveyancers
Are you eligible to make a complaint?
Who can make a complaint?
Anyone can make a complaint, including on behalf of another person with written authorisation.
Before you lodge a complaint:
For consumer matters, attempt to resolve the issue directly with the lawyer first, unless it is unreasonable to do so.
Before lodging a complaint, the OLSC encourages you to contact its Inquiry Line on 1800 242 958 or (02) 9377 1800 to check whether it can deal with your specific issue and to understand its functions and powers.
What can this body do to help?
Possible outcomes for Consumer Matters include:
- Apology from the lawyer
- Dispute resolution about fees
- Improved communication
- Help resolving issues about the release of documents or files, including lien-related issues in some cases
- Cautioning the lawyer
- Training or supervision for the lawyer
- Compensation orders in limited circumstances
- For costs disputes, a binding determination about the amount payable, up to $31,440 from 1 July 2025
Possible outcomes for Disciplinary Matters include:
- Caution or reprimand
- Apology
- Redoing work at no or reduced cost
- Training or supervision
- Fines up to $25,000
- Imposition of conditions on the practising certificate
- Referral to the Disciplinary Tribunal, which can impose additional sanctions including compensation, fines up to $100,000, and suspension or cancellation of the practising certificate
How to prepare your complaint
Format:
Complaints must be in writing and signed. The OLSC provides assistance through its Public Liaison Officer if needed.
Personal Details:
Include your name, contact details, and, if applicable, the details of the person you are lodging the complaint for with written authorisation.
Respondent’s Details:
Identify the solicitor, barrister, or law practice, including their name, address, and contact information.
Relevant Facts:
Describe the conduct, including when and where it happened, and provide supporting documents.
What NOT to Include:
Avoid abusive language, opinions, irrelevant facts, and frivolous or vexatious complaints.
Lodging your complaint and next steps:
The OLSC co-regulates the legal profession with the Law Society of NSW and the NSW Bar Association. Complaints to these bodies must be referred to the OLSC.
The easiest way is via the OLSC Portal. You can also:
- Mail a complaint form and supporting documents to: GPO Box 4460, Sydney NSW 2001 (one form per lawyer)
- Send a letter with supporting documents to: GPO Box 4460, Sydney NSW 2001
- Email a form and documents to: olsc@justice.nsw.gov.au
Important: Send copies, not originals, of supporting documents.
Inappropriate Personal Conduct:
- For informal reports of discrimination, sexual harassment, or bullying:
- Notify OLSC online here
- Email a completed notification form to: olsc@justice.nsw.gov.au
- For formal complaints:
- Mail the complaint form and documents to: GPO Box 4460, Sydney NSW 2001
- Email the form and documents to: olsc@justice.nsw.gov.au
Next Steps:
- Preliminary Assessment: The OLSC will assess whether the complaint is a consumer matter or disciplinary matter, and may ask for further information.
- Consumer Matters: The OLSC will attempt to resolve the complaint informally or through mediation. If agreement is not reached, the OLSC may make orders to resolve the issue.
- Disciplinary Matters: The OLSC may investigate to determine if there was unsatisfactory professional conduct or professional misconduct. This process may involve requesting written information and submissions. If disciplinary proceedings are started in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, a Tribunal hearing may follow.
- Withdrawing a Complaint: You can withdraw your complaint at any time, but the OLSC may still investigate if deemed necessary.
More information:
Refer to the factsheet provided below for more information.
