Table M – Guide to fees for counsel in criminal trials
Table M – Guide to fees for counsel in criminal trials
Table M sets out the fees in criminal trials for the Trial Counsel Development Program and where Senior Counsel is briefed as trial counsel.
These fees are effective from 1 January 2016. For fees payable prior to this see Archived versions of the Handbook.
Senior Counsel
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $1077 | 3 | $1077 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $718 | 2 | $718 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $448 | 1.25 | $448 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $718 | 2 | $718 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $897 | 2.5 | $897 |
| Plea fees | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $3281 | n/a | $3281 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1827 | n/a | $1827 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $541 | n/a | $541 |
| Special hearing | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $4021 | n/a | $4021 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $2742 | n/a | $2742 |
| Sentence indication | ||||
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $2559 | n/a | $3298 |
| Trial | ||||
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $718 | 2 | $718 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $5104 | n/a | $5826 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $6124 | n/a | $6991 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $2742 | n/a | $2742 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $2199 | n/a | $2199 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $1827 | n/a | $1827 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $541 | n/a | $541 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $1077 | 3 | $1077 |
Senior Junior Counsel
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $588 | 3 | $807 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $392 | 2 | $538 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $245 | 1.25 | $336 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $392 | 2 | $538 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $490 | 2.5 | $672 |
| Plea fees | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1497 | n/a | $2043 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $524 | n/a | $820 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $294 | n/a | $403 |
| Special hearing | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2040 | n/a | $2781 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1120 | n/a | $1793 |
| Sentence indication | ||||
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | $1102 | n/a | $1501 | |
| Trial | ||||
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $392 | 2 | $538 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $2434 | n/a | $3861 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $2920 | n/a | $4633 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $1120 | n/a | $1793 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $904 | n/a | $1232 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $524 | n/a | $820 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $294 | n/a | $403 |
| Conference with junior counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $588 | 3 | $807 |
Junior Counsel
| Service/proceeding | County Court hours | Fee payable | Supreme Court hours | Fee payable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post-committal negotiations | 3 | $366 | 3 | $414 |
| First directions hearing | 2 | $244 | 2 | $276 |
| Directions hearing/mention/callover | 1.25 | $152 | 1.25 | $172 |
| Defence response – first directions hearing | 2 | $244 | 2 | $276 |
| Application for discontinuance of proceedings | 2.5 | $305 | 2.5 | $345 |
| Plea fees | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $888 | n/a | $1139 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $412 | n/a | $602 |
| Sentence (if on a different day) | n/a | $294 | n/a | $403 |
| Special hearing | ||||
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1021 | n/a | $1361 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $618 | n/a | $892 |
| Sentence indication | ||||
| Brief fee (includes conferences) | n/a | $639 | n/a | $1222 |
| Trial | ||||
| Defence response – final directions hearing | 2 | $244 | 2 | $276 |
| Brief fee – first day (includes conferences) | n/a | $1146 | n/a | $2059 |
| Brief fee – first day where 20% uplift applicable (includes conferences) | n/a | $1375 | n/a | $2470 |
| Subsequent day | n/a | $618 | n/a | $892 |
| Plea hearing | n/a | $515 | n/a | $720 |
| Plea hearing – subsequent days | n/a | $412 | n/a | $602 |
| Sentence (if on different day) | n/a | $294 | n/a | $403 |
| Conference with senior/lead counsel (Trial Counsel Development Program only) | 3 | $366 | 3 | $414 |
Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS or submitting a tax invoice.