Advice, support and resources to help our insured practitioners manage the risks of practice.
Your policy requires that you give LPLC immediate notice of any claim first made against you during the policy period, or any circumstance which might give rise to a claim of which you become aware during the policy period. We encourage early notification as this enables us to take action, or provide advice and guidance, so as to minimise any loss or damage that might occur.
Changes to stamp duty and the introduction of an annual property tax on commercial and industrial land under the Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Reform Act commenced 1 July 2024. Practitioners acting in matters involving commercial or industrial land in Victoria need to be aware of the full extent of these significant reforms.
Here we provide some additional answers to specific questions we have received from practitioners. We recommend practitioners use this information to gain a full understanding of the reforms and their practical application.
The Commercial and Industrial Property Tax Reform Bill (the Bill) was introduced into the Victorian Parliament on 20 March 2024. The reforms are expected to pass into law in early May before commencing on 1 July 2024.
Matthew Cridland, Partner at K&L Gates, has provided a comprehensive overview as a guide to the reforms and CIPT tax, and key risk management tips for practitioners acting in these matters.
Non-engagement communications are essential for clarifying the relationship between lawyers and their potential clients, as well as preventing misunderstandings that could lead to disputes, ethical dilemmas, and could give rise to a claim.
They are a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of legal practice management that can help manage client expectations and ensure that both parties have a clear understanding of their professional relationship—or lack thereof.
Our article covers the essential elements of non-engagement communications and provides tips on how to make them effective.
LPLC regularly sees claims where solicitors have lodged caveats without having the proper grounds to do so.
Before lodging a caveat, practitioners should always ensure they carefully consider, and have evidence of, the interest in the estate or land being claimed.
This LPLC LIJ article by guest author, barrister Philip Barton, provides some guidance for practitioners when lodging caveats to ensure they have a proper basis, and discusses common examples of unsustainable caveats where courts have found the caveator to have no interest in the relevant land. The article also provides risk management tips to avoid mistakes.
Historic institutional child sexual abuse litigation has surged in the past 12 months and is complex and demanding work for legal practitioners.
It’s crucial that practitioners stay on top of this rapidly changing landscape, and that those who are not familiar with this area of practice, or don’t have the resources to manage it in the manner required, avoid dabbling and risking a potential claim.
For those practising in this area, the Supreme Court has recently issued a new Institutional Liability List Case Management and Listing Update with new case management procedures to better manage the very large number of new proceedings now being filed in this List.
Our article provides a summary of the changes and risk management tips to help practitioners comply with the new procedures.
The Victorian Government has introduced the State Tax Amendment Bill 2024 which, amongst other taxation changes, will (if passed) broaden the holiday home exemption to allow shareholders of companies, as well as certain beneficiaries of trusts and relatives of those shareholders and beneficiaries, to satisfy the exemption for a property owned by a company or trust.
This alert outlines the changes and the criteria associated with the holiday home exemption.
The Victorian Government has introduced the State Tax Amendment Bill 2024 which, amongst other taxation changes, will (if passed) broaden the holiday home exemption to allow shareholders of companies, as well as certain beneficiaries of trusts and relatives of those shareholders and beneficiaries, to satisfy the exemption for a property owned by a company or trust.
The LPLC Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance portal is open for processing renewals for the 2024–25 year for private law practices.
Our office will be closed from 5pm on Thursday 21 December 2023 and will re-open at 9am on Monday 8 January 2024.
LPLC’s office will relocate to new premises at Level 19, 140 William Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 from Monday 15 January 2024. Phone and email contact details remain unchanged.
LPLC runs a yearly calendar of risk management seminars and workshops for our insured firms and practitioners. We cover a variety of topics relating to the underlying causes of claims.
A podcast series that explores how to minimise and manage risk through buiding good business culture and approaches. In each episode listen as Heather Hibberd, LPLC's Chief Risk Manager, and an expert guest in conversation share stories and provide insights to help you build YOUR successful legal practice.
A 90-minute workshop for practitioners to review legal practice management fundamentals. It is suitable for practitioners setting up a new firm, recently established firms or principals who want a practice management refresher.
Watch and download session slides.
Topics include:
Solicitor's certifcates | Supervision | Conveyancing | Maximising Office 365 | The Engagement Habit