Legal Aid Commission Act

The Legal Aid Commission Act 1979 (NSW) (the Act) governs the functions and responsibilities of the Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales (Legal Aid NSW) and the way in which it delivers legal aid. 

All Commission officers who have responsibility for administering and granting legal aid or for representing legally assisted persons need to be familiar with the main provisions of the Act.

The Act has been amended from time to time to reflect changed priorities and in response to difficulties which have been identified. This chapter refers to some of these changes where they help to understand the effect of particular provisions. The full text of each section has been given for easy reference. In addition there are references to case law and Legal Aid NSWs policies that relate to specific sections.

References in this chapter to ‘the Act' are to the Legal Aid Commission Act 1979 (NSW).