The New Zealand Law Society has  maintained practising fees and levies for the 2019/20 year at the same level as the 2018/19 year.

The Minister of Justice has approved the amounts recommended by the Law Society’s Council at its meeting in April. These will apply for all practising certificates renewed or issued for the year beginning 1 July 2019.

Payment of the practising fee and two levies on lawyers are required from anyone wanting to practise law in New Zealand. Each year lawyers are required to renew their practising certificate and to pay for the costs of the regulation of legal services which is carried out by the Law Society. When renewing their practising certificate lawyers are also required to declare that nothing has arisen over the past year which may affect their fitness to be issued with a practising certificate.

The practising fee in the year from 1 July 2019 will be $1,040. A levy of $130 is required to fund the Legal Complaints Review Office and a levy of $22 funds the New Zealand Council of Legal Education.

Lawyers who practise on their own account are also required to make a contribution of $380 towards the operation of the Law Society’s Inspectorate. Lawyers who practise on their own account and also operate a trust account are required to pay  $320 to the Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund.

The Law Society’s registry will shortly contact every practising lawyer with information on the process to follow if they want to renew their practisting certificate. Renewal must be completed by 30 June and any lawyers who have not renewed by 1 July are not able to continue practising without making a new application.