Australian Capital Territory
Legal Profession (Bar Council Fees) Determination 2015 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI2015– 180
made under the  
Legal Profession Act 2006, s 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 (CPI) – 1.3% to keep pace with inflation. As a result, the practicing certificate fees have increased as follows:

1.	for silks, from $3,297 in 2014 to $3,340 in 2015;
2.	for junior barristers of 13+years since joining the Bar, from $2,628 in 2014 to $2,662 in 2015;
3.	for junior barristers of 6 – 12 years since joining the Bar, from $2,187 in 2014 to $2,215 in 2015;
4.	for junior barristers of 3 – 5 years since joining the Bar, from $1,490 in 2014 to $1,510 in 2015;
5.	for junior barristers of 1 – 2 years since joining the Bar, from $1,195 in 2014 to $1,210 in 2015;
6.	for readers, from $476 in 2014 to $482 in 2015; and
7.	for statutory office practicing certificate holders, from $530 in 2014 to $537 in 2015.

Membership fees included in Column 3 of the instrument have also increased by CPI – 1.3%.

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 practising certificate fees are exempt from GST.   

Clause 6 revokes the existing determination of bar council fees, DI2014-57.

This determination takes effect on the day after it is notified.