Legal Services Expenditure Report 2021‐22
The Summary sheet is only visible once you have confirmed that the Entry form is complete following inclusion of
the last domestic legal services provider in section 5c.
Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman
53 003 678 148
Summary Totals (explainer)
In this section you are required to review and confirm the summary totals for your entity's 2021‐22 Legal
What is this section?
Services Expenditure Report based on what you entered in the Entry form sheet.
Total Legal Services Expenditure = Internal + External Legal Services Expenditure
Internal Legal Services Expenditure = Internal Legal Services Expenditure
What are the summary totals?
External Legal Services Expenditure = Counsel Fees + Disbursements + Professional Fees (does not include input
from the legal services panels section)
Your entity's total legal services expenditure for 2020‐21 is displayed below. If there has been a significant
Expenditure comparison
change in expenditure in 2021‐22 compared to 2020‐21, you will be required to provide an explanation of the
change in the commentary text box.
Commentary is required if there has been a significant change in total expenditure between last year and this
Do I need to provide commentary?
year. Otherwise, entities may provide optional commentary to OLSC about their report. Commentary will not be
made public or shared with other entities.
Explaining a significant change in
Only a brief description of the reason or reasons for the increase/decrease is required. It is not necessary to go
expenditure
into the specifics of a matter. The information will not be made public or shared with other entities.
Summary Totals
Total Legal Services Expenditure
$ 930,463
Total Internal Legal Services Expenditure
$ 785,388
Total External Legal Services Expenditure
$ 145,075
Total value of briefs to Counsel
$ 27,235
Total value of briefs to Male Counsel
$ 6,954
Total value of briefs to Female Counsel
$ 20,281
Total value of briefs to gender X Counsel
$ ‐
Total value of disbursements (excluding counsel)
$ 114
Total value of professional fees
$ 117,726
Total value of professional fees ‐ 10% off‐Panel allowance
$ ‐
Total value of professional fees ‐ Exemption from AGD
$ ‐
Total number of briefs to counsel
4
Are the Summary Totals correct?
Yes
Proceed to commentary
Comparison with 2020‐21
Total Legal Services Expenditure (2021‐22)
$ 930,463
Total Legal Services Expenditure (2020‐21)
$ 592,681
Total expenditure change
$ 337,782
Internal expenditure change
$ 415,492
External expenditure change
‐$ 77,710
Commentary REQUIRED
Commentary is required if there has been a significant change in total expenditure between last year and this
Do I need to provide commentary?
year. Otherwise, entities may provide optional commentary to OLSC about their report. Commentary will not be
made public or shared with other entities.
Explaining a significant change in
Only a brief description of the reason or reasons for the increase/decrease is required. It is not necessary to go
expenditure
into the specifics of a matter. The information will not be made public or shared with other entities.
Please enter commentary below
The increase in internal legal expenses is caused by two issues. The first is an increase in staff numbers in the Legal team
(from average of 3 FTE to average of 5 FTE throughout the year) due to increasing workload particularly in Freedom of
Information requests and OAIC reviews. The second is our Office's review of the methodology for calculating the direct and
indirect overhead costs.
Have you finished entering commentary?
Yes
Proceed to final confirmation
Please read below
You have completed all of the required fields in your entity’s Legal Services Expenditure Report template for
2021‐22. If you are satisfied that the information you have provided is correct, please provide your final
confirmation below. Do not confirm unless you are satisfied your entries are correct. You can edit your template
by returning to the Entry form sheet and revising your entries.
Once you have provided final confirmation, a final version of your entity’s Legal Services Expenditure Report for
2021‐22 will appear below. The report is locked for editing, so if you notice incorrect details you will need to
revise your entries in the Entry form sheet. If you encounter any issues you may contact OLSC for assistance.
Please provide final confirmation of your entity's legal services expenditure for 2021‐22
I confirm
Report complete
Below is your entity's Legal Services Expenditure Report for 2021‐22.
Please save this template as a .XLSX file using the following naming convention: OLSC – [Name of Entity]
(acronym) – 2021‐22 LSER – [date sent to OLSC]
For example: OLSC – Attorney‐General’s Department (AGD) – 2021‐22 LSER – 1 August 2022
Please email this completed template to xxxx@xx.xxx.xx
Legal Services Expenditure Report 2021‐22
Office of the Commonwealth
Entity name
Ombudsman
ABN
53 003 678 148
Totals
Total legal services expenditure
$ 930,463
Total internal legal services expenditure
$ 785,388
Total external legal services expenditure
$ 145,075
Section 1
Internal Legal Services Expenditure
Total value of internal legal services expenditure
$ 785,388
Section 2
Counsel Briefs
Total number of briefs to counsel
4
Total value of briefs to counsel
$ 27,235
Section 2a
Junior Counsel (direct briefs)
Total number of direct briefs to male junior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to male junior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of direct briefs to female junior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to female junior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of direct briefs to gender X junior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to gender X junior counsel
$ ‐
Junior Counsel (indirect briefs)
Total number of indirect briefs to male junior counsel
0
Total value of indirect briefs to male junior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of indirect briefs to female junior counsel
3
Total value of indirect briefs to female junior counsel
$ 20,281
Total number of indirect briefs to gender X junior counsel
0
Total value of indirect briefs to gender X junior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of briefs to junior counsel
3
Total value of briefs to junior counsel
$ 20,281
Section 2b
Senior Counsel (direct briefs)
Total number of direct briefs to male senior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to male senior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of direct briefs to female senior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to female senior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of direct briefs to gender X senior counsel
0
Total value of direct briefs to gender X senior counsel
$ ‐
Senior Counsel (indirect briefs)
Total number of indirect briefs to male senior counsel
1
Total value of indirect briefs to male senior counsel
$ 6,954
Total number of indirect briefs to female senior counsel
0
Total value of indirect briefs to female senior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of indirect briefs to gender X senior counsel
0
Total value of indirect briefs to gender X senior counsel
$ ‐
Total number of briefs to senior counsel
1
Total value of briefs to senior counsel
$ 6,954
Section 3
Disbursements
Total value of disbursements
$ 114
Section 4
Legal Services Panels
Does your entity participate in the Whole of Australian Government Legal Services Panel
Yes
Panel fee for 2021‐22
$ ‐
Total value of expenditure on 10% off‐Panel allowance
$ ‐
Total value of expenditure on exemptions from using the Panel
$ ‐
Total value of expenditure on Provision of Tax Technical Legal Services Panel for 2021‐22
$ ‐
Total value of expenditure on ACCC/AER Competition and Consumer Panel 2019 for 2021‐22
$ ‐
Section 5
Professional fees
Total value of professional fees
$ 117,726
Section 5a
Other Government Providers
Attorney‐General's Department (DO NOT INCLUDE PANEL FEE)
$ ‐
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
$ ‐
Office of Parliamentary Counsel
$ ‐
Section 5b
Overseas Legal Services Providers
Overseas firms (total figure)
$ ‐
Section 5c
Domestic Providers
Australian Government Solicitor
$ 100,343
King and Wood Mallesons
$ 13,636
Ashurst
$ 3,747