Resources

In December 2015, the Australian Government tasked the Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department to conduct a review of Commonwealth legal services. The findings and recommendations drew upon the expertise and experience of a diverse and highly engaged group of stakeholders across many Commonwealth entities and the legal services sector.

It makes a number of wide ranging recommendations for improvements to the Commonwealth legal services framework. 

The Legal Services Panel Portal enables Australian Government agencies to efficiently purchase external legal services from the Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel or the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS).

Agencies with access to the panel can participate in professional development provided by legal service providers such as conferences, online masterclasses, seminars and training sessions.

The Office of Legal Services Coordination (OLSC) in the Attorney-General’s Department administers the Legal Services Directions 2017 (the directions), which are made by the Attorney-General under the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth). The directions apply to all non-corporate Commonwealth entities. Certain provisions of the directions apply to corporate Commonwealth entities by virtue of paragraph 12.3. 

The OLSC page on the Attorney-General’s Department website hosts information on the Legal Services directions and more.

OLSC assists Commonwealth entities to comply with their obligations under the directions by providing support, guidance and training. OLSC administers the directions including through managing the reporting and compliance frameworks and preparing guidance notes. OLSC also supports the Attorney-General in his role as First Law Officer to oversee and manage Commonwealth legal risk.

OLSC does not provide legal advice, but works with agencies to share information on whole of government issues, and promote best practice for the active management of legal risk across the Commonwealth.

The Australian Government Solicitor (AGS) plays a special role in the Commonwealth’s legal services landscape.

Whilst AGS was not required to tender for the Legal Services Panel, agencies are able to obtain legal services from AGS alongside panel firms. Agencies may choose to engage AGS for any work at any time. To make things easier, the ability to engage AGS has been incorporated into the Legal Services Panel Portal, making it your one-stop-shop for legal services providers.

Distinct from panel firms, AGS operates as the central Commonwealth in-house legal services provider, with particular expertise in areas of law closely related to Commonwealth powers and activities. This emphasised role as a centre of excellence for the Commonwealth reflects AGS’s special role in supporting the First Law Officer and Second Law officer and the Commonwealth more generally. The 2017 Secretary’s Review recognised that AGS is the central in-house provider of legal services to the Commonwealth whose core purpose is to enable the government to achieve its objectives. This role allows AGS to contribute to the effective management of Commonwealth legal risk.

In particular, AGS lawyers will join other Commonwealth agency in-house lawyers as members of AGLS. Within this context, AGS will play a central role in enhancing the coordination and consistency of legal approaches across the Commonwealth.

The PGPA Act is the cornerstone of the Commonwealth Resource Management Framework. Find out how it applies to you by visiting the Department of Finance website.