Information for Barristers
Below is information on Grants Online of particular relevance to barristers.
Reassignment of pro forma invoices available
Pro forma invoices for counsel's fees can be electronically reassigned to a barrister by their instructing solicitor, provided the barrister is registered to use Grants Online.
The reassignment allows the barrister to submit their claim for fees directly to Legal Aid NSW using Grants Online, rather than the instructing solicitor having to submit it.
The reassignment capability is available to private practitioners for pro forma invoices issued after 30 March 2009.
For more information, see How are counsel's fees paid? in the Grants Online Frequently Asked Questions.
Barristers who are not currently registered to use Grants Online will need to register before they can take advantage of this facility. For assistance registering, see How do I register to use Grants Online?
Invoices and claims
Grants Online employs the concepts of pro forma invoices and claims in relation to professional fees and disbursements.
For every grant of legal aid, the Grants Online system generates an electronic pro forma invoice containing one or more work items that represent the scope of the grant. Work items include both professional work and disbursements. Once generated, the pro forma invoice is stored in the system. A claim in Grants Online is a request by a practitioner to be paid for work done and/or disbursements incurred. Practitioners can only claim for work or disbursements for which there is a matching work item in a pro forma invoice.
To submit a claim, the practitioner first locates the pro forma invoice by performing a search in Grants Online. They then submit a claim against the relevant work items in that invoice using the Submit Payment Claim screen in Grants Online.
On submission to Legal Aid NSW, the claim becomes the practitioner's tax invoice to Legal Aid NSW. The tax invoice can be viewed and printed in the Claim Enquiry screen in Grants Online.
A partial claim can be made against a pro forma invoice if the work has been partially completed. If making a partial claim which will not be your final claim against the invoice, you should ensure that when filling in the Submit Payment Claim screen, you leave the values in the Final Claim for this File? and the Final Claim for Pro forma Invoice? boxes set to their default values of NO.
For more detailed assistance with the submitting of claims, see How do I search for a pro forma invoice? and How do I submit a claim? in the Grants Online Frequently Asked Questions.
Trial Information Forms (TIFs)
Solicitors are responsible for lodging trial information electronically for both themselves and counsel. You are welcome to provide any further information by contacting the Grants Division at Legal Aid NSW.
Receiving notification of a grant of aid
You can receive a copy of the client's legal aid grant letter by requesting your instructing solicitor to forward it to you or by asking the Grants Division at Legal Aid NSW to email it to you.
Grants Division contacts
Below is a list of key contacts in the Grants Division of Legal Aid NSW. You can contact any of these people if you have queries about legal aid applications, grants of legal aid or payments.
Criminal law:
- Steven Doumit, Senior Criminal Law Solicitor: 9219 5077
steven.doumit@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Kylie Johnson, Team Leader, Crime: 9219 5881
kylie.johnson@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Mervyn Hoskins, Team Leader, Crime: 9219 5194
mervyn.hoskins@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Tegan Chandler, Team Leader, Crime: 9219 5810
tegan.chandler@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
Civil law:
- Michael Snape, Senior Civil Law Solicitor: 9219 5009
michael.snape@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
Family law:
- Lisa Dawson, Senior Family Law Solicitor: 9219 5133
lisa.dawson@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Maree McDonald, Family Law Solicitor: 9219 5677
maree.mcdonald@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Alison Mackenzie, Team Leader, Family: 9219 5179
alison mackenzie@legalaid.nsw.gov.au - Sean Quigley, Team Leader, Family Team: 9219 5979
sean.quigley@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
For any other queries, please contact:
- Jocelyn Flanagan, Director, Grants: 9219 5672
jocelyn.flanagan@legalaid.nsw.gov.au