Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Table L sets out the fees payable by Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) for criminal appeals in the High Court. The fees in this table cover all necessary work.

These fees are effective from 1 January this year. For fees payable prior to this see Archived versions of the Handbook.

Application for special leave

Service/proceeding Hours Fee payable
The lump sum preparation fee covers the work involved in:
  • obtaining instructions
  • preparing any necessary documentation
  • perusing documents.
10.5 $2940
Appearance fee n/a $2124
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) n/a $1415
Appearance by counsel at judgment (if on a different day) n/a $460
Preparation of grounds and outline of submissions 10 $3050

Appeal

Service/proceeding Hours Fee payable
The lump sum preparation fee covers the work involved in:
  • obtaining instructions
  • preparing any necessary documentation
  • perusing documents.
12.5 $3500
Appearance fee n/a $2124
Appearance fee – subsequent day(s) n/a $1415
Appearance by counsel at judgment (if on a different day) n/a $460
Preparation of grounds and outline of submissions 10 $3050
Instructing – half day n/a $704

Practitioners can claim these fees using ATLAS ==REPACE TEXT HERE== or submitting a tax invoice.

Additional preparation/reading fees

Additional preparation fees for interlocutory appeals may be approved where the preparation is essential in accordance with the principles applying to payment of preparation fees to counsel.

Air travel

Where assistance is approved for airfare travel, VLA will only pay for the cheapest non-flexible economy airfare with a budget airline. VLA will pay for a flexible departure airfare where the person travelling is flying on the morning of the court proceedings.

Reviewed 31 December 2022