Community Legal Centres (CLCs) are non-profit organisations that work in partnership with Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) to provide a range of general and specialist legal services to the people of Queensland. They are a key component of Australia’s legal aid system and provide a distinctive form of service which complements the services provided by LAQ and the private legal profession.
As a general rule assistance provided by CLCs is free, although donations are always welcome.
Legal Aid Queensland is responsible for managing the Community Legal Service program throughout Queensland on behalf of both the federal and state governments.
Applications for grants of legal assistance which are received from Community Legal Centres (CLCs) are processed in the same way as all other applications.
Allocation of a solicitor
If an application for legal assistance is received from a CLC and legal assistance is approved, the grant of aid will be referred back to the CLC unless otherwise stated and providing that the CLC policy is met.
Grant(s) of aid
Community Legal Centres are not entitled to claim fees for professional work. Grants of aid issued to CLC’s are limited to the standard counsel’s fees and disbursements for the relevant stage of proceedings.
Criminal Law
Grants of aid issued to CLC’s are limited to standard counsel fees and disbursements for relevant stages of proceedings.
The disbursement payable to CLC’s includes travel, accommodation and expert reports. Conduct money and nominal outlays such as the cost of phone calls, facsimiles and photocopying are not payable.
The CLC applicant for legal aid must satisfy Legal Aid Queensland’s means, guideline and merits test (where applicable).
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Code
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Short description
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Committal Hearing
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MR1A
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Counsel engagement in the early stages of proceedings
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MR4
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Counsel to make a formal summary application to the magistrate
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MR8
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Counsel to appear at day one of committal
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MR7
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Counsel to appear at additional days of committal
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Plea of guilty
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BCF
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District court plea of guilty (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCC1
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CCQ plea of guilty (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCJ
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Supreme Court plea of guilty (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Pre-trial hearings
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BPTD
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Pre trial hearing in the district court (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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| BPTS |
Pre trial hearing in the Supreme Court (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Prepare for trial
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BCG
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District court examine depositions, conference and negotiation (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCCG
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CCQ examine depositions, conference and negotiation (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BKC
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Supreme Court examine depositions, conference and negotiation (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Day one of trial
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BCY
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District court day one of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCCY
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CCQ day one of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCZ
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Supreme Court day one of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Additional days of trial
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BCY1
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District court additional days of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCD2
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CCQ additional days of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCZ1
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Supreme Court additional days of trial (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Bail
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BCV
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Supreme Court bail application (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Investigate prospects of appeal
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BCM
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Court of Appeal investigate prospects of appeal (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCS
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High Court of Australia investigate prospects of appeal (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Day one of appeal
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BCN
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Court of Appeal day one of an appeal against sentence (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCP
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Court of Appeal day one of an appeal against conviction (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCQ
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Court of Appeal day one of an appeal against conviction and sentence (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCT
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High Court of Australia day one of appeal (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Additional days of appeal
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BCN1
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Court of Appeal additional days of an appeal against sentence (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCP1
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Court of Appeal additional days of an appeal against conviction (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCQ1
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Court of Appeal additional days of an appeal against conviction and sentence (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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BCT1
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High Court of Australia additional days of appeal (Replacement counsel / CLC)
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Family law
Legal aid can be granted through CLC’s in family law proceedings where counsel is approved.
Grants of aid issued to CLC’s are limited to the standard counsel fees and disbursements for the relevant stage of proceedings.
The disbursements payable to CLC’s include travel, accommodation and expert reports. Conduct money and nominal outlays such as the cost of phone calls, facsimiles and photocopying are not payable.
The CLC applicant for legal aid must satisfy Legal Aid Queensland's means, guidelines and merit test (where applicable).
Family dispute resolution conferences
A grant of legal assistance for CLC’s to represent clients at legal aid family dispute resolution conferences provides access to the dispute resolution service. This is not a grant for which counsel is available or provided and no fees are payable.
CLC applications may be for:
- Applicants to initiate the conference process or
- Respondents where the other party already has a grant of aid for the conferencing process.
If the issues are not resolved at the conference and the CLC continues to act for the client any further grants are limited to stages where a grant of aid for counsel is available.
If the issues are not resolved at the conference and the CLC is no longer acting, the client may apply for a grant of aid and if approved be referred to an in-house solicitor or preferred supplier.
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Code
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Short description
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| CFFF |
CLC Initial Conditional Conference grant of aid
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| CF1A |
Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) representation at a family dispute conference (early intervention) (CLC)
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| CF1B |
Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) representation at a family dispute resolution conference (litigation intervention) (CLC)
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Family law proceedings
| Code |
Short description |
| FMC1 |
Counsel at interim hearing (only available for complex matters) |
| FMC2 |
Counsel to prepare for standardtrial |
| FMP2 |
Additional preparation for counselwhere trial is listed for 3 or 4 days (counsel component only) |
| FMP3 |
Additional preparationfor counsel where trial is listed for 5 or 6 days (counsel component only) |
| FMP6 |
Additional preparation for counsel where trial is listed for 7 or more days |
| FMC3 |
Counsel days of trial |
| FMP8 |
Additional preparation for counsel where a trial is adjourned or part heard |
| FM5C |
Appeal to Single Judge including day one of appeal(counsel component only) |
| FM5D |
Appeal to Full Court including day one of appeal (counsel component only) |
| FM5E |
Additional days of appeal (counsel component only) |
| FM5G |
Additional preparation for appeal for counsel |
Civil law
Legal aid can be granted through CLC’s in civil law proceedings where counsel is approved.
Grants of aid issued to CLC’s are limited to the standard counsel fees and disbursements for the relevant stage of proceedings.
The disbursements payable to CLC’s include travel, accommodation and expert reports. Conduct money and nominal outlays such as the cost of phone calls, facsimiles and photocopying are not payable.
The CLC applicant for legal aid must satisfy Legal Aid Queensland's means, guidelines and merit test (where applicable).
Youth transfer to adult custody
Legal aid can be granted through Community Legal Centres including the Prisoners' Legal Service, in youth trasfer to adult custody proceedings where counsel is approved for a review application to the Childrens Court of Queensland. The criteria for funding CLC's in youth transfer to adult custody proceedings and the applicable grants of aid can be found in the Grants Handbook.
Grants of aid issued to CLC's are limited to the standard counsel fees and disbursements for the relevant stage of proceedings.
The disbursements payable to CLC's include travel, accommodation, and reports. Conduct money and nominal outlays such as the cost of phone calls, facsimiles and photocopying are not payable.