Fee Schedule 1M – Family law stage of matter limits

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) may provide assistance for preparation and representation at trial (by counsel or lawyer) where the matter continues to meet the litigation guideline, including where:

• there continues to be a substantial issue in dispute; and
• the matter continues to be a 'priority matter'; and
• that there continues to be merit in the orders the client is seeking.

This does not apply to Independent Children’s Lawyers for whom Family law Guideline 5 will continue to apply.

Part heard matters

This rule applies to all applications for assistance received on or after 1 November 2013 for trials listed on or after 1 November 2013. Where a trial is scheduled partly before 1 November and recommences on or after 1 November 2013 assistance may be available for that portion of the trial conducted on or after 1 November 2013.

Fees

The following fees shall apply to all Commonwealth family law matters (including extensions) where legal assistance was approved on or after 1 January 2016.

Where a practitioner is in receipt of a grant of legal assistance pursuant to Fee Schedule 1M and the extension of assistance has not been completed, the practitioner may claim the higher stage fee pursuant to this table.

Index

• Stage 1 – negotiations/Roundtable Dispute Management
• Stage 2 – litigation
• Stage 3 – preparation for trial
• Stage 4 – trial
• Stage 5 – appeals in the Family Court
• Counsel’s fees – trial costs
• Annulment proceedings
• Independent children’s lawyer proceedings – Family Court
• Independent children’s lawyer proceedings – Federal Circuit Court
• Counsel’s fees – independent children’s lawyer
• Assistance for child support matters

Fees prior to 1 January 2016

For fee schedules prior to 1 January 2016, see Archived versions of the Handbook.