General Practice Lawyers and Solicitors in Sydney

A general practice firm handles a range of everyday legal matters rather than a single specialty. Typical work includes buying and selling property, wills and powers of attorney, small business advice, family matters, simple civil disputes, traffic and minor criminal charges, and referrals to specialist barristers or firms when a matter needs more than the firm offers. This is often where people start when they do not know which area of law their problem falls into.

Courts and tribunals a general practice may appear in

Depending on the matter, a general practitioner may appear in the Local Court of New South Wales, the District Court, the Supreme Court, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, the Fair Work Commission, NCAT, or the Administrative Review Tribunal. Many firms will do the early work, such as letters of demand and negotiation, and brief a barrister if a hearing is needed.

Costs and how they are explained

Under the Legal Profession Uniform Law applying in New South Wales, a solicitor must give a client a written disclosure of how legal costs will be calculated, along with an estimate of total costs, at the start of a matter or as soon as practicable afterwards. The disclosure should also mention the right to negotiate the costs agreement and to seek assessment of the bill. Complaints about conduct or costs can be made to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner.

Legal aid and free help

Legal Aid NSW covers criminal, family and some civil matters for people who meet its means and merit tests, and LawAccess NSW provides free phone information and referrals. Community legal centres and the Law Society of NSW can also point people to free or low-cost services.

What to bring to a first meeting

• Photo identification
• Any contracts, letters, notices or court documents about the issue
• A short timeline of what has happened
• Contact details for others involved

Checking a solicitor

A solicitor must hold a current practising certificate, and the Law Society of NSW maintains a public register to confirm this. Barristers are listed by the NSW Bar Association.

General practice firms on this page serve the Sydney CBD, Parramatta and Western Sydney, the North Shore, the Eastern Suburbs, the Inner West, the South West, Sutherland, the Hills District and the Northern Beaches, often close to where their clients live and work.

The listings below are alphabetical and are not ranked.

Common questions

When does a general practice firm refer a matter elsewhere?

A firm may refer a matter when it needs specialist knowledge, such as complex tax, patent law or a major appeal, or when it has a conflict of interest. It may also brief a barrister for a contested hearing. A referral is normal practice and a solicitor should explain the reason and any extra costs involved.

What is a costs agreement?

It is the written agreement between a client and a law practice about how fees will be charged, such as hourly rates, a fixed fee or a conditional arrangement. The Legal Profession Uniform Law requires costs information to be disclosed, and a client who disagrees with a bill can ask for it to be reviewed or assessed.

How can I complain about a solicitor?

Complaints about the conduct or costs of a solicitor in New South Wales are made to the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner, which can investigate or refer the matter to the Law Society of NSW or the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Many concerns are first raised with the firm itself.

General Practice lawyers by suburb

Eastern Suburbs

Bellevue Hill, Ben Buckler, Bondi, Bondi Beach, Bondi Junction, Bondi Junction Plaza, Bronte, Centennial Park, Charing Cross, Chifley, Clovelly, Clovelly West, Coogee, Daceyville, Darling Point, Diamond Bay, Double Bay, Dover Heights, Eastgardens, Edgecliff, Hillsdale, Hmas Rushcutters, Hmas Watson, Kensington, Kingsford, La Perouse, Little Bay, Malabar, Maroubra, Maroubra South, Matraville, Moore Park, North Bondi, Paddington, Pagewood, Phillip Bay, Point Piper, Port Botany, Queens Park, Randwick, Rose Bay, Rose Bay North, South Coogee, St Pauls, Tamarama, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay, Waverley, Woollahra

Inner West

Abbotsford, Annandale, Ashbury, Ashfield, Balmain, Balmain East, Belfield, Birchgrove, Breakfast Point, Burwood, Burwood Heights, Burwood North, Cabarita, Campsie, Canada Bay, Canterbury, Chiswick, Clemton Park, Concord, Croydon, Croydon Park, Drummoyne, Dulwich Hill, Earlwood, Enfield, Enfield South, Five Dock, Greenacre, Haberfield, Hurlstone Park, Leichhardt, Lewisham, Lilyfield, Marrickville, Marrickville Metro, Marrickville South, Mascot, Mortlake, Mount Lewis, North Strathfield, Petersham, Petersham North, Rodd Point, Rozelle, Russell Lea, Stanmore, Strathfield, Strathfield South, Summer Hill, Sydney Domestic Airport, Sydney International Airport, Undercliffe, Wareemba, Westgate

North Shore

Artarmon, Blenheim Road, Boronia Park, Cammeray, Castle Cove, Castlecrag, Chatswood, Chatswood West, Cremorne, Cremorne Junction, Cremorne Point, Crows Nest, Denistone East, East Killara, East Lindfield, East Ryde, Gladesville, Gordon, Gore Hill, Greenwich, Henley, Hmas Platypus, Hmas Waterhen, Hunters Hill, Hunters Hill West, Huntleys Cove, Huntleys Point, Killara, Kirribilli, Kurraba Point, Lane Cove, Lane Cove North, Lane Cove West, Lavender Bay, Lindfield, Lindfield West, Linley Point, Longueville, Macquarie Centre, Macquarie Park, McMahons Point, Middle Cove, Milsons Point, Monash Park, Mosman, Naremburn, Neutral Bay, Neutral Bay Junction, North Ryde, North St Ives, North Sydney, North Sydney Shoppingworld, North Willoughby, Northbridge, Northwood, Osborne Park, Putney, Riverview, Roseville, Roseville Chase, Royal North Shore Hospital, Ryde, Spit Junction, St Ives, St Ives Chase, St Leonards, Tennyson Point, Waverton, Willoughby, Willoughby East, Willoughby North, Wollstonecraft, Woolwich

Northern Beaches

Allambie, Allambie Heights, Balgowlah, Balgowlah Heights, Beacon Hill, Belrose, Belrose West, Brookvale, Clontarf, Collaroy, Collaroy Beach, Collaroy Plateau, Collaroy Plateau West, Cromer, Cromer Heights, Curl Curl, Davidson, Dee Why, Dee Why Beach, Elanora Heights, Fairlight, Forestville, Frenchs Forest, Frenchs Forest East, Freshwater, Harbord, Ingleside, Killarney Heights, Long Reef, Manly, Manly East, Manly Vale, Narrabeen, Narrabeen Peninsula, Narraweena, North Balgowlah, North Curl Curl, North Manly, North Narrabeen, Oxford Falls, Queenscliff, Seaforth, Warriewood, Warriewood Shopping Square, Warringah Mall, Wheeler Heights, Wingala

South West Sydney

Allawah, Arncliffe, Banksia, Bardwell Park, Bardwell Valley, Belmore, Beverley Park, Beverly Hills, Bexley, Bexley North, Bexley South, Brighton-Le-Sands, Carlton, Hurstville, Hurstville Grove, Kingsgrove, Kingsway West, Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Kyeemagh, Lakemba, Lugarno, Monterey, Mortdale, Narwee, Oatley, Peakhurst, Peakhurst Heights, Penshurst, Punchbowl, Ramsgate, Ramsgate Beach, Riverwood, Rockdale, Roselands, Turrella, Wiley Park, Wolli Creek

Sydney CBD and Inner South

Alexandria, Banksmeadow, Barangaroo, Beaconsfield, Botany, Broadway, Camperdown, Chippendale, Darling Harbour, Darling Island, Darlinghurst, Darlington, Dawes Point, Eastlakes, Elizabeth Bay, Enmore, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Golden Grove, Haymarket, Hmas Kuttabul, Kings Cross, Millers Point, Missenden Road, Newtown, Parliament House, Potts Point, Pyrmont, Redfern, Rosebery, Rushcutters Bay, St Peters, Surry Hills, Sydenham, Sydney, Sydney South, Taylor Square, Tempe, The Rocks, The University Of Sydney, Ultimo, Waterloo, Woolloomooloo, Zetland