The Large Law Firm Group has called on the Queensland legal leaders to clarify their position on the National Legal Profession Reforms.

Bickering between the state’s law society and the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Jarrod Bleijie, has led to confusion amongst the profession as well as other stake holders. “We are saddened by what we see as a failure of leadership and a lack of imagination within the state and territory law society leaders that have not endorsed the reforms,” said Stuart Clark, chair of the LLFG. “This is not something which will only affect the Large Law Firm Group members; it is something that will affect all lawyers and law firms that undertake work in more than two states or territories.”

The Queensland Law Society president, Dr John de Groot, told ALB that the QLS supports the proposed National Legal Profession Reform Scheme, and that they want it implemented. “The reforms are important, sensible and well overdue. We support the scheme and want it implemented,” he said.

However, Dr de Groot had previously told The Australian newspaper that the Law Society’s support was conditional on a series of changes. In a newsletter sent by the QLS to members it was stated that the society would only support the scheme if modifications were made to the proposed scheme. Dr de Groot added that Queensland’s participation in the scheme is, as it always has been, “in the Attorney-General’s hands”.

Bleijie told ALB in a statement that he had noted the comments by the QLS and that consultation at all levels of the Queensland legal profession was ongoing. “The Newman Government remains committed to ensuring any reforms to the Queensland legal profession are in the best interests of the State’s practitioners,” he said. “However, if the national reform is likely to create additional costs for Queenslanders then we won’t be signing up.”

NSW and Victoria are still on course to commence with the reforms form July 1, 2013.

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