Australian Capital Territory
Legal Profession (Bar Council Fees) Determination 2012 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI2012 – 114
made under the  
Legal Profession Act 2006, section 84(2) – Determination of fees by law society council and bar council
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Section 84(2)(a) of the Legal Profession Act 2006 empowers the bar council to determine fees in relation to applications for the grant or renewal of barrister practising certificates.

Clause 3 of this instrument determines fees for applications for the grant or renewal of a barrister practising certificate. The fee payable in Column 2 of the Schedule attached to the instrument is determined according to the level of seniority of the applicant, as described in Column 1 of the Schedule.

The fees have been increased in line with the Consumer Price Index to keep pace with inflation. As a result, the fees for each seniority level have increased in the following proportions:

1.	the practicing certificates fee for Silks has increased from $2,774 in 2011 to $2,897 in 2012;
2.	the practicing certificates fee for junior barristers of 13+years since joining the Bar has increased from $2,295 in 2011 to $2,378 in 2012;
3.	the practicing certificates fee for junior barristers of 6 – 12 years since joining the Bar has increased from $1,918 in 2011 to $1,987 in 2012;
4.	the practicing certificates fee for junior barristers of 3-5 years since joining the Bar has increased from $1,438 in 2011 to $1,490 in 2012;
5.	the practicing certificates fee for junior barristers of 1-2 years since joining the Bar has increased from $1,153 in 2011 to $1,195 in 2012; 
6.	the practicing certificates fee for Readers has increased from $459 in 2011 to $476 in 2012; and
7.	the practicing certificates fee for Government barristers has increased from $510 in 2011 to $530 in 2012. 

Clause 4 of the instrument states that fees are payable by the applicant to the ACT Bar
Association, and that payments may be made by instalments with the written agreement of the Association.

Clause 5 of the instrument notes that the Commonwealth has exempted these fees from payment of GST under the determination titled A New Tax System (Goods and
Services Tax) (Exempt Taxes, Fees and Charges) Determination 2005, dated
1 July 2005. 

Clause 6 revokes the existing determination of fees for applications for the grant or renewal of a barrister practising certificate, DI2011-276.

This determination takes effect on the day after its notification.