Your Rights as a Client

Published because a client who knows what a solicitor owes them is a better client to have, not a harder one.

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In short

Queensland solicitors are regulated under the Legal Profession Act 2007, bound by the Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules, and overseen by the Legal Services Commission. Clients are entitled to costs disclosure before work begins, to a bill they can understand, to challenge that bill through assessment, and to complain about conduct. Practising certificates can be verified through the Queensland Law Society.

Section 9

Your rights as a client

Queensland solicitors are regulated. Knowing how, and by whom, is useful whether or not you ever have cause to complain — and it tells you what you are entitled to ask any firm for, including ours.

Queensland Law Society

QLS is both a membership association and a regulator, holding specific statutory responsibilities under the Legal Profession Act 2007. It issues practising certificates in Queensland, maintains solicitors' records, regulates the operation of solicitors' trust accounts, and advises government on improvements to the law.^[1] It is the peak representative body for the profession in Queensland, with more than 13,000 members.^[1]

Check a solicitor on the QLS register →

Legal Services Commission

An independent statutory body established in 2004 with power to regulate the profession under the Legal Profession Act 2007. It works alongside QLS and the Bar Association, but the Legal Services Commissioner has sole authority to prosecute practitioners over professional conduct.^[12]

lsc.qld.gov.au →

Costs disclosure

The full disclosure threshold is currently $3,000 excluding GST, with abbreviated disclosure required between $1,500 and $3,000, and none required below $1,500.^[7] ^[9] A costs agreement is nonetheless strongly recommended in every matter.^[6] Disclosure is also ongoing: once a practice becomes aware that costs are likely to exceed the relevant amount, it must disclose as soon as practicable.^[5]

Challenging a bill

Costs billed under a fixed fee agreement remain open to challenge under the Legal Profession Act 2007, and a fixed fee does not preclude disciplinary action for charging excessive fees.^[6] Where a costs agreement is not fair or reasonable, a client may apply to a court or QCAT to set it aside; relevant matters include whether the practice provided proper costs disclosure.^[12]

Conduct rules

Solicitors are bound by the Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules. Among them: the duty to act in the best interests of the client, and the duty to provide clear and timely advice so the client can make informed choices.^[5] QLS publishes the rules and a series of ethics guidance statements.^[3] ^[4]

Finding a solicitor

QLS runs a public information site, You & The Law, and a Find a Solicitor directory.^[2] QLS also administers specialist accreditation, which is a genuine indicator of assessed expertise in a nominated area.^[1]

Find a Solicitor directory →

Common questions

Does a Queensland solicitor have to tell me what it will cost?

Yes. The Legal Profession Act 2007 requires costs disclosure, and the obligation is triggered at the outset rather than when the bill arrives. Disclosure must cover the basis on which fees will be calculated and an estimate of the total, and must be updated if the estimate changes materially. There are limited exceptions for very small matters, and the current thresholds should be confirmed against the official source.

Can I challenge a legal bill I think is too high?

Yes. A client can request an itemised bill and can apply to have costs assessed, which is an independent review of whether the amount charged is fair and reasonable. There are time limits on applying for assessment. Separately, a complaint about a solicitor’s conduct — as distinct from the amount of a bill — is made to the Legal Services Commission.

How do I check that a solicitor is actually admitted?

Practising certificates and admissions can be verified through the Queensland Law Society, which maintains a find-a-solicitor facility. It is a reasonable thing to check, and a firm that objects to you checking has told you something useful.

Sources

Reviewed 26 August 2026

The bracketed numbers in this article refer to the master numbered source list on the Knowledge Hub, which is maintained in one place so a citation cannot fall out of step between pages. Every source is an official primary source: Queensland and Commonwealth legislation, the courts, or the relevant regulator.