Legal Profession Act 2007

A person who discloses information obtained in the administration of this Act commits an offence, unless the disclosure is—

authorised or required by this Act or another Act; or

made in connection with the administration of this Act; or

made with the consent of the person to whom the information relates; or

made in connection with a legal proceeding under a relevant law or any report of a proceeding, including a proceeding before a disciplinary body relating to a discipline application; or

otherwise made with a lawful excuse.

For the purposes of and without limiting subsection (1), a person who receives information directly or indirectly from a corresponding authority is taken to have obtained the information in the administration of this Act.

This section does not apply to the following disclosures of information—

a disclosure that does not identify or help in identifying—

a complainant; or

an Australian legal practitioner, law practice employee or other entity that is the subject of a complaint or investigation matter, or an entity or law practice that employs the entity, legal practitioner or employee; or

an investigated entity that is the subject of a chapter 5A investigation; or

a person associated with an entity mentioned in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii);

a disclosure by an investigator—

to the commissioner; or

if the investigator was appointed by a regulatory authority—to the regulatory authority; or

to the person to whom the information relates;

a disclosure as prescribed under a regulation.

This section is not limited by another provision of this Act—

allowing an entity to disclose information; or

requiring an entity to protect information.

In this section—