VLA and its officers are subject to legal professional standards and duties
16 VLA and its officers are subject to legal professional standards and duties
VLA or an officer of VLA when engaging in legal practice—
must observe the same rules and standards of professional conduct and ethics as those that a legal practitioner is, by law or a custom of the legal profession, required to observe in engaging in legal practice; and
is subject to the same professional duties as those to which a legal practitioner is subject, by law or a custom of the legal profession, in engaging in legal practice.
For the purpose of the application of subsection (1) in respect of a member of staff of VLA who is providing legal services to a person—
VLA is deemed to be a law practice retained by the person to act on the person's behalf; and
the members of staff of VLA are deemed to be employed by that law practice.
For the purposes of this section, a reference to engaging in legal practice or providing legal services includes a reference to exercising a right of audience in a court.
VLA must indemnify an officer of VLA against any negligent act or omission by the officer in the course of the performance of his or her duties or in good faith in the purported performance of those duties.
S. 16(5) amended by No. 17/2014 s. 160(Sch. 2 item 55.2).
Parts 4.2 and 4.5 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Victoria) apply to the VLA as if it were an incorporated legal practice.
S. 17 amended by Nos 48/1995 s. 10(h), 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 47.5).
17 In any proceeding signature of officer of VLA deemed to be signature of legal practitioner for a party to the proceeding
Where in any proceedings a document is required or permitted to be signed by a legal practitioner for a party to the proceedings who is an assisted person, the signature of an officer of VLA authorised by the Board to sign documents on behalf of VLA for the purposes of this section, shall be deemed to be the signature of the legal practitioner for that party.
Pt 4 (Heading) amended by No. 10/1986 s. 9(d), substituted by No. 44/1997 s. 14.
Part IV—Independent reviewers
S. 18 amended by Nos 10/1986 s. 9, 48/1995 s. 10(i), substituted by No. 44/1997 s. 14.
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