Role of the NSW Crown Solicitor
The Crown Solicitor's Office is a Public Service Executive Agency related to the Department of Justice with the Crown Solicitor as Head of the agency under Schedule 1 of the
Government Sector Employment Act 2013.
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
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. 44 of the
Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014. Members of the general public requiring legal assistance should contact LawAccess NSW by telephone on 1300 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.