How to Choose a Solicitor in Australia

Law is a broad profession and most solicitors specialise. A conveyancer who handles a hundred property transactions a year is the right choice for a house purchase, but unlikely to be the right choice for a contested employment dispute. Begin by identifying the area of law your matter falls within, then look for solicitors whose practice is genuinely focused there.

A directory of Australian solicitors organised by practice area and jurisdiction, like the one Solicitors.net.au is building, can shorten this process considerably.

Every practising solicitor in Australia must hold a current practising certificate issued by the relevant state or territory regulator. They must also carry professional indemnity insurance. Both protect you if something goes wrong. You can verify a solicitor's status through your local law society's online register.

A good first meeting should leave you with a clear picture of your options, the likely cost and the next steps. Ask the solicitor how often they handle matters like yours, who in the firm will actually do the work, how you will be billed and how they prefer to communicate. Their answers will tell you more about the experience to come than any marketing material.

Fees vary widely between firms, but the cheapest quote is not always the best value. Ask for a written costs agreement that explains the scope of work, the hourly or fixed rates, the expected disbursements and the circumstances in which additional charges may apply. A solicitor who is upfront about cost is usually upfront about everything else.

Legal matters can take weeks or months. You will be working closely with this person, often during a stressful period of your life. The right solicitor explains things in plain English, returns your calls and emails promptly, and treats your matter with the seriousness it deserves. Trust your instincts — if something feels off, it usually is.

Be cautious of solicitors who guarantee an outcome, pressure you to sign immediately, refuse to provide a written costs agreement or are vague about their experience. These are the most common indicators of work that will disappoint.

If the relationship is not working, you are entitled to seek a second opinion or transfer your matter to another firm. While there may be a cost to bringing a new solicitor up to speed, that cost is almost always smaller than the cost of staying with the wrong one.