Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) has increased fees paid to solicitors and barristers representing financially disadvantaged clients in state law matters.
The hourly rate for solicitors in state law matters is now $143 an hour. Fixed fees or event fees (conferences, mentions, preparation) for solicitors and barristers have also increased for state law matters.
Also disbursements for items such as reports, giving evidence, service, travel, and accommodation have also increased and apply across state and Commonwealth matters.
The increased fees cannot be applied retrospectively so any grants issued before 1 September 2023 will be paid at the rate that applied when the grant was issued.
This fee increase is due to additional State Government funding to Legal Aid Queensland in the 2023-24 State Budget.
LAQ acknowledges the role the Bar Association of Queensland and the legal assistance sector played in advocating and securing additional funds. It is also continuing to review the structure of grants responses in a range of areas having recently implemented revised structures for dangerous prisoner and domestic violence matters.
Full details of the increases have been published in the Grants Handbook – Scale of Fees, updated from 1 September 2023.
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