The Standing Committee on Public Administration’s Inquiry into the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia has today released public submissions, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing examination of legal regulation in the state.
For several months, the Law Society of Western Australia has been working alongside the Association of Corporate Counsel (WA Division), Community Legal WA, The Piddington Society, and Women Lawyers of Western Australia to raise concerns about the governance and processes of the Legal Practice Board. That collaboration culminated in a joint submission delivered to the inquiry on 19 September 2025.
The joint submission outlined issues that have been building for some time, including chronic delays, ineffective oversight and systems, inappropriate investigation and prosecution processes, and failures in engagement, communication, and responsiveness.
Law Society CEO Kate Wellington said the release of the submissions was “an important step toward transparency and accountability in the regulation of our profession”.
“The Law Society welcomes the opportunity for the community and the profession to understand the issues practitioners have been facing, in their own words,” Wellington said.
The indications are that there were at least 93 submissions to the inquiry, although only a handful have been published – presumably because of confidentiality requests.
“From the submissions that have been made public, we see long-held frustrations about timeliness, communication and fairness in regulatory processes. These are not new concerns, but this inquiry has given practitioners confidence that they can come forward in a safe space,” said Wellington.
“This inquiry was sparked by concerning information shared with us by the legal community in a profession-wide survey. We took those concerns seriously, and we welcome the Standing Committee’s examination of these issues.
“What we’re seeing in these submissions is a profession that wants to work constructively and cooperatively with its regulator – but isn’t currently able to do so.
“This inquiry represents a chance to rebuild trust. The Law Society looks forward to engaging with the Standing Committee and others to ensure that lessons are learned and solutions are implemented.”
The five organisations involved in the joint submission said their shared goal has always been to contribute constructively to improving legal regulation in Western Australia, rather than to criticise individuals.
“Our collaboration has stemmed from concerns about the Board’s governance and processes, which have been building for some time,” they said in a joint statement released today.
“The release of the public submissions is an important step in strengthening trust, transparency, and accountability in the regulation of the legal profession.”
The joint statement also acknowledged the effort and courage of those who shared their experiences with the inquiry.
“We understand that, for some individuals, the process of writing their submissions has been difficult and, at times, deeply personal. We acknowledge their willingness to share their experiences and to contribute constructively to this inquiry.”
Wellington said the Law Society will continue to advocate for modern, effective, and fair regulation that protects both the public and the profession.
“Good regulation protects the public and promotes high standards, without creating unnecessary burdens or barriers to efficient practice. We all want a system that is fair, transparent and efficient. That’s the standard we should be working toward,” she said.
“This isn’t about assigning blame: it’s about fixing what’s not working so the public and the profession can have confidence in the integrity of the legal system.”
