Direct access to Crown Law for clients

For the past 18 years, since Crown Law became a competitive, self-funded business unit, our Practice has offered clients across State Government legal advice and representation in untied as well as tied categories of legal work.

The whole-of-government legal services panel arrangement, which came into effect on 1 April 2015, does not change current arrangements with Crown Law. Our Practice can continue to be used by Queensland Government departments for untied legal work, as of right, as is currently the case. Tied work arrangements remain unchanged.

Crown Law is included in VendorPanel, the software solution being used to engage panel firms. While Crown Law will be presented as an option in VendorPanel, departments and agencies can continue to engage Crown Law directly without using VendorPanel.

Our areas of expertise in ‘untied’ work include:

  • structuring, regulatory and governance issues
  • contracts and agreements
  • government funding
  • tenders and procurement arrangements
  • corporations law and State-owned companies
  • competition law issues
  • information privacy
  • information technology
  • property law including commercial leases and licences
  • resources law.

While all lawyers across Crown Law can offer legal services in untied categories, our experts in these areas are concentrated in the Commercial, Property, Insurance and Risk Branch, which has been led by Deputy Crown Solicitor, Helen Freemantle since 2007. Helen’s team of commercial lawyers includes Assistant Crown Solicitor, Melinda Pugh and three Special Counsel, Robyn Hill, Brent Manning and Chris Maxwell

On the legal services panel, Helen is Crown Law’s key contact for clients, along with fellow Deputy Crown Solicitors, Peter Dwyer and Karen Watson.