Office of the Board

The Regulatory Services Division includes the Accreditation and Customer Service team, the Investigation and Legal team, the Dispute Resolution team and the Risk, Mitigation and Review team. 

The Accreditation and Customer Service team is the front line and public face of the Board, handling a wide range of enquiries. Enquiries come from legal practitioners, firm representatives, support staff, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) providers, people using or seeking legal services, people wishing to make complaints against legal practitioners, people wishing to be admitted in Western Australia, and the general public. The enquiries are often about practicing certificate matters, CPD, professional indemnity insurance, removal of supervised legal practice and practice management course conditions, change of details, requests for evidentiary certificates, and many others. 

The Investigation and Legal team investigates serious and complex allegations about lawyers and law firms, or unqualified people acting as lawyers, to try to achieve the appropriate outcome to best protect the public. It will investigate complaints, referrals, suitability matters and disclosures using the powers under the Uniform Law, and if there is a reasonable basis to take action a recommendation will generally be put to one of the Board’s committees who will make the ultimate decision there. 

The Dispute Resolution team aims to resolve disagreements between clients and practitioners, and occasionally between practitioners. The Board has this role under Uniform Law. The team investigates the circumstances of the complaint and identifies the issues behind the complaint. Some disputes are resolved informally by providing information and explaining misunderstandings, and the complaint may be withdrawn. Other disputes require mediation between the disagreeing parties. Some complaints cannot be resolved and in some cases the Board has the power to make a determination, such as in cost disputes. 

The Risk Mitigation and Review team’s responsibility is to deliver independent investigations, reviews and audits of the regulatory affairs of law firms, including regulatory compliance audits and trust record investigations. Trust accounts are operated by law firms to hold monies received from clients, estates, legal actions and other sources that are held on trust for the client. The client can permit the firm to pay out these trust monies for various purposes including paying for the services the firm performs. Interest earned by trust accounts goes to the Legal Contributions Trust.

The Corporate Services Division’s key function is to provide strategic guidance and support services to the Board. It includes the Policy, Strategy and Outreach team, the Information technology team, Human Resources team, and the Finance team.

The Policy, Strategy and Outreach team manages the Board’s strategy and policies, develops communications policies, practices and procedures, communications strategies and campaigns, media enquiries and statements, internet, intranet, social media and other communications matters; engages with internal and external stakeholders to support the Board's brand and objectives.

The Information Technology team is responsible for technology services to regulate the profession, technical support to the Board’s internal and external stakeholders, maintaining the Board’s network and technology and maintaining and enhancing core business systems and applications. It includes the information management capability to ensure compliance, integrity, security and availability of Board data, information and records

The Human Resources team provides an end-to-end solution for servicing the needs of the Board’s staff, coordination of recruitment and onboarding, payroll and remuneration, organisational development inclusive of staff training. It also manages health and wellbeing, reporting and compliance, and development of human resources procedures.

The Finance team manages the Board’s finances, including procurement services and support, budgetary support and advice, accounts payable and receivable and asset management. It also has oversight of financial reporting, taxation and compliance, and development of financial procedures.