About Us
The New South Wales Crown Solicitor provides legal services to the State Government of New South Wales. Over 300 legal and support staff are employed by the Crown Solicitor's Office (CSO) which is divided into 12 legal Practice Groups specialising in nine areas of law, many of which have important implications for the community.
Role of the NSW Crown Solicitor
The Crown Solicitor must be engaged by government agencies to perform core legal services in respect of matters which:
- have implications for Government beyond an individual Minister's portfolio;
- involve the constitutional powers and privileges of the State and/or the Commonwealth;
- raise issues which are fundamental to the responsibilities of Government; and
- arise from, or relate to, matters falling within the Attorney General's area of responsibility.
The Crown Solicitor also competes with the private legal profession to perform non core (general) legal work for government agencies. The staff of the CSO observe a core set of values which their Government clients appreciate and rely upon. CSO staff understand the sensitivities which attend the functions of the NSW State Government and work hard to ensure they build positive working partnerships with their clients.
The Crown Solicitor cannot provide legal services to the general public. The persons for whom the Crown Solicitor may act are set out in s. 110 of the Legal Profession Act 2004. Members of the general public requiring legal assistance should contact LawAccess NSW by telephone on 1 300 888 529 or go to www.lawaccess.nsw.gov.au which is a free service providing a single point of access to legal assistance services to the people of NSW.
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