More than 100 complaints recorded against Tasmanian lawyers during 2018-19 financial year

Tasmanians are still disgruntled with lawyers in the state, with more than 100 complaints recorded during the past financial year over concerns like high fees and threatening behaviour.

COMPLAINTS against Tasmanian lawyers remain high for the second year running, with clients still frustrated over high fees, “bill shock”, delays, rude or threatening behaviour and incompetency.

The Legal Profession Board of Tasmania received 113 complaints against legal practitioners during the 2018-19 financial year, according to the organisation’s annual report released on Wednesday.

That number reflected the “upswing” surge of 2017-18, which saw 120 complaints — a huge jump from the 77 recorded in 2016-17 and 50 during 2015-16. One of the complaints alleged that an uncertified person was acting as a lawyer.

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The areas of law receiving the highest amount of complaints for the past financial year were family law, probate and estate work, civil litigation and criminal law.

Out of the 113 complaints over the past financial year, 75 identified a male lawyer while 34 involved a female lawyer.

The majority of the complaints were made against lawyers with more than 20 years experience, with the board noting that senior lawyers would benefit from further legal education on the topic of concern.

But board CEO Frank Ederle said complaints rarely arose from actual misconduct or wrongdoing, adding they usually resulted from “a disconnect in communication”.