Legal Services Award 2025 Pay Rates (MA000116)
Plain-English Summary
Who does this award cover?
The Legal Services Award covers employees who perform legal services work in the private sector across Australia. This includes law clerks, paralegals, legal secretaries, legal administrative assistants, conveyancing clerks, trust account officers, and other non-lawyer staff employed by law firms, barristers' chambers, in-house legal teams, and legal service providers. If you work in a law firm and you are not a practising solicitor or barrister, this award likely applies to you.
The award does NOT cover practising lawyers (solicitors and barristers who hold a current practising certificate), employees covered by the Clerks Private Sector Award (MA000002) unless their work is primarily legal in nature, or employees of community legal centres covered by the SCHADS Award.
How classification levels work
Your pay rate depends on your classification level, which ranges from Level 1 (entry-level -- filing, photocopying, basic administrative tasks in a legal office) through to Level 5 (senior paralegal, practice manager, senior trust account officer). Your classification is determined by the nature of your actual work, required qualifications, and level of responsibility -- not just your job title.
What about part-time and casual workers?
Part-time employees receive the same hourly rate as full-time employees, with entitlements on a pro-rata basis. Casual employees receive a 25% loading on the base hourly rate to compensate for not receiving paid leave, notice of termination, or redundancy pay.
Classification Levels and Base Rates
All rates effective 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission Annual Wage Review 2024-25.
| Level | Typical Duties | Weekly Rate | Hourly Rate | Casual Rate (incl. 25% loading) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Filing, mail, photocopying, basic data entry in a legal office | $978.20 | $25.74 | $32.18 |
| Level 2 | Legal secretary, receptionist, court filing, document management | $1,002.60 | $26.38 | $32.98 |
| Level 3 | Paralegal, conveyancing clerk, trust account officer | $1,073.20 | $28.24 | $35.30 |
| Level 4 | Senior paralegal, experienced conveyancer, senior legal secretary | $1,127.00 | $29.66 | $37.08 |
| Level 5 | Practice manager, senior trust officer, litigation support manager | $1,173.40 | $30.88 | $38.60 |
Hourly rate = weekly rate / 38. Casual rate = hourly rate x 1.25.
Penalty Rates
All penalties are calculated on the base hourly rate.
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees (Non-Shiftworkers)
| When you work | Penalty | Level 3 example |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday (ordinary hours) | Base rate (100%) | $28.24/hr |
| Saturday | 150% | $42.36/hr |
| Sunday | 200% | $56.48/hr |
| Public holiday | 250% | $70.60/hr |
| Overtime -- first 3 hours (Mon-Fri & Sat before 12pm) | 150% | $42.36/hr |
| Overtime -- after 3 hours (Mon-Fri & Sat before 12pm) | 200% | $56.48/hr |
| Overtime -- Saturday after 12pm and Sunday | 200% | $56.48/hr |
Shiftworkers
| When you work | Penalty | Level 3 example |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary hours | Base rate (100%) | $28.24/hr |
| Early morning shift | 110% | $31.06/hr |
| Afternoon and night shift | 115% | $32.48/hr |
| Permanent night shift | 125% | $35.30/hr |
| All shiftworkers -- Saturday | 150% | $42.36/hr |
| Continuous shiftworkers -- Sunday and public holidays | 200% | $56.48/hr |
| Non-continuous shiftwork overtime -- first 3 hours | 150% | $42.36/hr |
| Non-continuous shiftwork overtime -- after 3 hours | 200% | $56.48/hr |
Casual Employees
| When you work | Penalty (on base rate) | Level 3 example |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday (ordinary hours) | 125% (casual loading) | $35.30/hr |
| Saturday | 175% | $49.42/hr |
| Sunday | 225% | $63.54/hr |
| Public holiday | 275% | $77.66/hr |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the ordinary hours for legal services employees?
Ordinary hours are a maximum of 38 per week, or an average of 38 per week over a roster cycle of up to 4 weeks. The standard span of hours is 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Friday. Many law firms roster ordinary hours within standard business hours (9:00am to 5:30pm), but the award permits a wider span. If your employer asks you to work outside the span of ordinary hours, shift or overtime penalties apply.
2. Are paralegals entitled to overtime?
Yes. Paralegals classified at Level 3 or above are entitled to overtime rates for all hours worked beyond 38 in a week or 7.6 in a day (or beyond their agreed daily hours if part-time). Overtime is paid at 150% for the first 3 hours and 200% thereafter on Monday to Saturday before noon. All overtime on Saturday after noon and Sunday is paid at 200%.
3. Do law firm employees get shift penalties for working late?
Yes. If your employer regularly rosters you to work outside the standard 7:00am to 7:00pm span (for example, working evening shifts to support international time zones), you are classified as a shiftworker and entitled to shift penalties. Afternoon and night shifts attract 115% of the base rate, and permanent night shifts attract 125%. Early morning shifts (starting before 6:00am) attract 110%.
4. What is the minimum engagement for casual legal staff?
Casual employees must be engaged for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours per shift. Even if the law firm only needs you for a 1-hour filing task, they must pay you for 3 hours. At Level 2 casual rate ($32.98/hr), the minimum payment per shift is $98.94 gross.
5. Is a trust account officer classified differently from a general legal secretary?
Yes. A trust account officer who manages client trust funds, performs reconciliations, and ensures compliance with legal trust accounting rules is typically classified at Level 3 or above, reflecting the specialist knowledge required. A general legal secretary performing administrative and typing duties would typically be classified at Level 2. Senior trust account officers may be classified at Level 4 or 5.
Check Your Rate
Not sure if you are being paid correctly? Use our free pay rate calculator to check your exact rate based on your classification level, employment type, and the hours you work.
Enter your details and get an instant breakdown of what you should be earning -- including penalty rates, overtime, and shift loadings. Every result cites the specific award clause so you can verify it yourself.
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Rates current as of 1 July 2025. Source: Fair Work Commission, CC BY 4.0. This information is general in nature and is not legal advice. Always verify rates against the Fair Work Ombudsman's Pay and Conditions Tool (PACT) at calculate.fairwork.gov.au.