Legal Services Directions 2025

19/12/2025

The Commonwealth Attorney-General has approved the new Legal Services Directions 2025, which will commence on 2 March 2026.

These are a set of binding rules, issued by the Attorney-General, about the performance of Commonwealth legal work.

Under the new Directions:

• The daily rate threshold for junior counsel will increase from $2,300 per day to $3,300 per day.

• The daily rate threshold for senior counsel will increase from $3,500 per day to $5,000 per day.

• Counsel will no longer be required to provide an initial ongoing Commonwealth rate.

• The daily rate thresholds will be indexed every second financial year, commencing on 1 July 2027.

Briefing entities may also seek the Attorney-General’s approval of counsel fees greater than the daily rate thresholds.

Commonwealth briefing entities will be required to take all reasonable endeavours to select women counsel with relevant seniority, expertise and experience in the relevant practice area in at least 40% of the entity’s briefs, and at least 40% of the total value of the entity’s briefs.

The new Directions can be viewed at the following link.

The Bar Association has consistently advocated for fairer rates and engagement of counsel in Commonwealth legal matters.

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