By Talk to a Lawyer · Published 20 September 2026 · 3 minute read
A directory profile is a starting point for checking a provider. It is not a practising certificate, a current availability check or proof of specialist accreditation. Before sending sensitive material, identify both the office and the individual who will advise you. Treat professional status, relevant experience and contact-channel verification as separate questions; one positive answer does not settle the others.
Ask who will actually give the advice
Request the name and role of the person expected to handle the first stage. A firm may have several offices and team members; the name in a directory can identify the business rather than the practitioner. Ask who supervises the work and who will be your usual contact.
If someone describes themselves as a specialist, ask what that means and where any accreditation can be checked. Experience in a subject and formal accreditation are different claims. Do not assume a service tag or an award graphic proves either one.
Use the relevant professional register
Ask which state or territory register or regulator is appropriate for checking the practitioner. Navigate to the official professional body or regulator independently and compare the identifying details. Names can be similar, so use the office and other public information to resolve uncertainty.
For a different type of provider, such as a migration agent or licensed conveyancer, the relevant register and permitted work may differ. Confirm the person's professional capacity and what service they are offering. A business registration number alone does not establish authority to provide every legal service.
Verify where your documents are going
Check the office's official website and independently confirmed contact number. If a message unexpectedly changes payment or document-delivery details, contact the office through a previously verified channel before acting. Do not rely solely on the reply address in that message.
Ask how identity records and confidential documents should be sent, who receives them and whether a secure upload is available. The first enquiry should usually establish suitability, conflicts and arrangements; it need not include the full history or every attachment.
Keep a compact verification record
Note the practitioner name, register checked, date and the contact route you confirmed. Record any unresolved question and ask the office directly. A check reflects the information available at that time, so confirm details again if your engagement or payment arrangements change.
Verification is not a prediction of results. You still need a clear scope, fee explanation and confirmation the office has accepted the work. If the identity cannot be resolved, use another reliable route to find appropriate help rather than sending more information into the uncertainty.
Keep this checklist beside you
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A preparation aid, not confirmation that a legal requirement is complete.
Common questions
Does a directory listing mean the lawyer is verified?
No. Read the listing’s own notes and check current professional status independently. A database check is not the same as checking a practising certificate or specialist accreditation.
Can the office advise before checking for a conflict?
Ask the office what identifying information it needs for its conflict process before sharing the detailed story. Let it confirm whether it can act; do not assume a booking has resolved that question.
Sources and scope
General appointment preparation, not advice about your individual circumstances. Examples are illustrative, not client case studies. Sources provide further reading; confirm current requirements with the relevant service or adviser.
- Legal Aid NSW: dealing with your lawyer
NSW legal-profession complaints and service issues; other professions have different regulators and rules.
- OMARA: official register of migration agents
Registered migration agents; Australian legal practitioners use the relevant professional register instead.
- Law Society of NSW: Register of Solicitors
NSW practitioner register. Use the appropriate regulator or professional register for another jurisdiction.
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