AUTOMATED PAYMENTS

USER GUIDE

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WHAT IS AUTOMATED PAYMENTS?

Automated Payments is a new way for tax invoices to be paid. If an invoice meets Legal Aid’s business requirements, once

submitted successfully, the invoice will be paid automatically. This means a faster turnaround time for payments, and no

manual assessment.

When a tax invoice is submitted successfully for automated payment, the tax invoice will be paid within 5 business days.

Use this guide to learn how to successfully submit a tax invoice for automated payment.

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THE AUTOMATED PAYMENTS PROCESS

Automated Payments has been introduced to automatically process a large volume of claims for payment made by

practitioners. Inhouse practitioners are able to claim for disbursements only, however they will not be automatically paid.

The introduction of Automated Payments includes improvements to the usability of the tax invoice. For example:

• The GST component will automatically calculate;

• The tax invoice will show what amount is available to claim, and what amount has already been claimed on each

extension;

• Warning messages will appear when a component of the tax invoice has not been completed correctly;

• Extensions can be finalised by completing the relevant sections of the tax invoice; and

• Cases can be finalised by completing the relevant sections of the tax invoice.

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AUTOMATED PAYMENTS AND THE ATO

In order for Legal Aid Western Australia to comply with Australian Tax Office requirements, only GST registered firms will

be able to utilise the new tax invoice and have their tax invoices considered for automated payment. For further

information about the requirements of the Australian Tax Office, refer to:

https://www.ato.gov.au/law/view/document?DocID=GST/GSTR200010/NAT/ATO/00001

Firms not registered for GST are unable to use the Grants Online tax invoices (including blank tax invoices) and are now

required to provide a copy of their own invoice (using Legal Aid Western Australia prescribed rates), attach the invoice to

an extension request and lodge it through Grants Online.

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Please ensure you are familiar with the updated GST information and process outlines. This information is contained in

the Guide To Claiming Payment, which is available on the Grants Online website under the Enclosures & Forms,

Guidelines tab.

Under the Automated Payments system, you will need to ensure that you have an appropriate grant of aid before

undertaking work, as you will not be able to claim more than the total commitment amount of the extension. Grants

Online will not allow the submission of tax invoices in excess of the allocated commitment.

For further information about making a claim, please refer to the Guide To Claiming Payment and the Grants Online User

Guide. Both these manuals are available on the Grants Online website under the Enclosures & Forms, Guidelines tab.

The clients depicted in this guide are fictional and invoices are based on fictional grants of aid.

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IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER

• You can only submit a tax invoice through Grants Online, or use a blank tax invoice, if your firm is GST registered;

• Grants Online will not accept a tax invoice in an amount higher than the total commitment value of the extension;

• Extensions and cases can be finalised through the new tax invoice by selecting the appropriate finalisation codes;

• Only solicitor fees should be claimed as solicitor fees and only disbursements should be claimed as disbursements;

• Disbursement types must be used accurately and appropriately;

• The preparation and Court time components of a grant must be claimed accordingly and accounted for on your file;

• Contributions that are payable directly to you will be automatically deducted through the autopayment system;

• You must keep reports, receipts, Court dates etc. on file. For further information regarding case management

standards, reporting and record keeping, refer to the Private Practitioner Manual, or the Professional Practice

Standards Manual (for inhouse practitioners);

• A blank tax invoice can be used to claim GST exempt items, such as conduct money, if required. For further information

about GST and GST exempt items, refer to the Guide To Claiming Payment.6

WHERE CAN I GET HELP?

Further information can be found on the Grants Online website:

• Case management standards - Private Practitioner Manual

• Collecting contributions - Private Practitioner Manual

• Claiming payment from Legal Aid WA - Guide to Claiming Payment and the Grants Online User Guide

• GST and costs – Guide To Claiming Payment

• How to use Grants Online – Grants Online User Guide

Information for inhouse practitioners can be found on the Legal Aid intranet:

• Case management standards - Professional Practice Standards Manual

• Collecting contributions - Professional Practice Standards Manual

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Technical issues:

For assistance with your Grants Online username, password or any technical issues relating to Grants Online, contact Legal Aid WA’s Service Desk on (08) 9261 6345 or via email goltechsupport@legalaid.wa.gov.au between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday

To log into Grants Online: https://grantsonline.legalaid.wa.gov.au/

For information specific to a particular grant of aid:

Contact Legal Aid WA’s Assessing section on (08) 9261 6530. Please ensure you have the file number and client name, along with your query

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THE NEW LOOK TAX INVOICE

A new feature near the top of the tax invoice shows the total commitment allocated to each clause in the extension being

claimed, the amount claimed previously and the remaining commitment:

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SUBMIT A STANDARD TAX INVOICE

In the file number search field, enter the relevant file number.

Click on the claim button to the right of the extension being claimed.

When the tax invoice opens, the client name, file number, extension and clause information will automatically populate:

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Claim the appropriate solicitor fees and/or disbursement amounts for the work undertaken. The GST value will automatically populate for the amount/s entered:

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If claiming a disbursement, a disbursement type must be selected from the drop-down list. If the disbursement field is populated but a disbursement type is not selected, a warning message will appear: “Disbursement Work Type must be selected when claiming for Disbursements(0)”:

Select “YES” to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this extension?” A warning message will appear: “Warning - you will not be able to make further claims on this extension”:

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Select “NO” to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this matter?”:

Type a report on the status of the matter in the Report on the Status of the Matter box:

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Grants Online will not allow a claim value greater than the value of the extension. If a claim is made that is greater than the value of the extension, a warning message will appear: “This claim will exceed the total commitment available for this request”:

Check the details entered in the tax invoice. The values can be changed if entered incorrectly, before the tax invoice is submitted.

Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page to submit the tax invoice to Legal Aid Western Australia:

When the amount claimed is equal to or less than the total amount granted on the extension, the tax invoice will be automatically paid.

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NOTE: You must retain records to support your claim in accordance with Legal Aid’s Private Practitioner Manual, and the Professional Practice Standards Manual.

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SUBMIT A PART TAX INVOICE

To submit a part tax invoice, follow the same procedure as a standard tax invoice, but claim part of the allocated

commitment allowed in the extension.

Select “NO” to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this extension?” :

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Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page to submit the tax invoice to Legal Aid Western Australia:

When the amount claimed is equal to or less than the total amount granted on the extension, the tax invoice will be automatically paid.

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SUBMIT A STANDARD TAX INVOICE AND FINALISE AN EXTENSION

Make your claim, as appropriate, in the first part of the tax invoice. If you will not be making any further claims on this

extension, select “YES” to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this extension?” A warning message will then

appear: “Warning – you will not be able to make further claims on this extension”:

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Select “NO” to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this matter”?:

Type a report on the status of the matter in the Report on the Status Matter box:

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Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page to submit the tax invoice to Legal Aid Western Australia:

When the amount claimed is equal to or less than the total amount granted on the extension, the tax invoice will be automatically paid.

Once the tax invoice has been paid, the extension will be finalised on Grants Online and LAW Office. No further transactions can be made on a finalised extension.

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SUBMIT A TAX INVOICE AND FINALISE A CASE

Follow the same process as for finalising an extension, however when you get to the “Is this the final tax invoice for this

matter?” question, select “YES”. A warning message will appear: “Warning – this case will be finalised you will not be able

to make further extensions or claims on it”:

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Type a report on the status of the matter in the Report on the Status of the Matter box:

Select “NO” to the question “Does this matter relate to a Costs Order?”:

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Select the appropriate Reason, Finalised Stage and Legal Outcome from the drop-down menus available:

Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page to submit the tax invoice to Legal Aid Western Australia:

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FINALISE A CASE WITH A COST ORDER

With the introduction of automated payments, Grants Online will no longer allow an invoice to be submitted for an

amount higher than the amount committed on the extension. Therefore, when costs are received in a matter and are

higher than the value of the grant, you are required to disregard the trial grant and instead seek an extension for the

whole amount of the costs awarded.

For example: You have a C14 Magistrates Court trial grant in the amount of $1,575.00. You are awarded costs to the value

of $2,000.00. You do not claim the C14, but rather submit an extension request for the full amount of $2,000.00 and

advise that costs have been awarded in that sum.

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Always ensure that the Certificate from the Court is forwarded to the Department of Justice with the advice that the matter was conducted under a grant of aid, and request that payment be made directly to Legal Aid Western Australia, using the file number as a reference.

Submit your claim for $2,000.00 and tick “YES” in the box in the tax invoice that asks: “Does this matter relate to a Costs Order?”. Provide your report in the Details of the Status of the Matter box and attach a copy of your letter to the Department of Justice, as outlined above.

For further information regarding Costs Orders, please refer to the Guide to Claiming Payment and the Private Practitioner Manual, available on the Grants Online website.

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SUBMIT A BLANK TAX INVOICE

Use a blank tax invoice to submit a claim against a file where the request for legal aid was not submitted through Grants

Online, or you are not claiming GST. For example, a grant was assigned to you prior to you using Grants Online, a grant

issued by Legal Aid Western Australia that does not have a Request ID, or claiming a GST free disbursement.

Blank tax invoices can be found under the Enclosures & Forms drop down menu along the top blue banner of the Grants

Online home page.

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Select the area of law that your grant of aid relates to, then click the Generate Blank Claim button:

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When the blank tax invoice opens, the client name, file number and extension number will need to be entered manually. The OurRef field must also be entered:

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Grants Online will not allow a blank tax invoice to be submitted without the Ext No field being completed. If the Submit button is clicked without this field being entered, a warning message will appear: “The ExtensionNo is required”:

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Grants Online will not allow a blank tax invoice to be submitted without the Our Ref field being completed. If the Submit button is clicked without the Our Ref field being completed, an error message will appear: “The Our Ref is required”:

Enter a clause and claim the appropriate solicitor fees and/or disbursement fees for the work performed. The GST value needs to be entered manually. The totals and subtotals will automatically calculate:

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If claiming on more than one clause, click the + button at the right hand side of the first clause entry to add another claim line:

If claiming a disbursement, a disbursement type must be selected from the drop down list. If the disbursement field is populated but a disbursement type is not selected, a warning message will appear: “Disbursement Work Type must be selected when claiming for Disbursements(0)”:

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Select the appropriate answer to the question “Is this the final tax invoice for this extension?”:

Grants Online will not allow a claim value greater than the value of the extension. If a claim is made that is greater than the value of the extension, a warning message will appear: “This claim will exceed the total commitment available for this request”:

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Check the details entered in the blank tax invoice. The values can be changed if entered incorrectly, before the blank tax invoice is submitted.

Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the page to submit the blank tax invoice to Legal Aid Western Australia:

Blank tax invoices are not paid automatically, nor can extensions or cases be finalised.

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REQUESTING AN EXTENSION OF AID

There is no longer a facility to provide a report regarding the work you are claiming for in an autopaid tax invoice, unless

the extension or case is being finalised. It is therefore imperative that you provide a report in your extension requests to

validate the work performed under the previous extension of aid, and to justify the granting of further funds in the

matter.

You must maintain appropriate and accurate records on your file in accordance with Legal Aid’s Private Practitioner

Manual, and the Professional Practice Standards Manual.

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FINALISING A CASE –WHAT CATEGORY IS APPROPRIATE?

When finalising a case, it is important to choose the correct category for each drop down menu.

Below is the list of finalisation codes and when they should be selected.

Law types: appeals, family/FVRO/DOC/civil, crime and generic.

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REASON DEFINITION

AID REFUSED Further funding in a matter has been refused

DISCONTINUED BY COMMISSION The grant of aid has been terminated by the Commission due to:

- client not following solicitor’s reasonable advice;

- client dismissed solicitor and matter not transferred;

- no contact from client; or

- client death.

FINALISES Matter has been finalised and no further legal tasks are to be performed

WITHDRAWN – CLIENT REQUEST Client withdraws request for aid

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FINALISED STAGE DEFINITION

AFTER APPEAL HEARING After matter has been completed at an appeal hearing

AFTER LEAVE FOR APPEAL After an application for leave to appeal has been unsuccessful

AFTER OPINION After an opinion has been provided on an appeal grant and the matter is not being funded further

AFTER DR After a matter has been to an FDR conference (not late intervention)

AFTER DR SCREEN After an FDR screen has been completed but the matter did not proceed to a conference

AFTER LATE INTERVENTION DR After a matter has been to a late intervention FDR conference

AFTER PREPARATION FOR TRIAL Matter concluded/funding ceased after preparation for trial completed but before the trial commenced

AFTER PROCEEDINGS COMMENCE Matter went to Court

GUILTY PLEA Guilty plea entered

NO COURT PROCEEDINGS For advice grants only

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LEGAL OUTCOME DEFINITION

APPEAL ALLOWED Appeal allowed at hearing

APPEAL DISMISSED Appeal dismissed at hearing

LEAVE TO APPEAL DISMISSED After an application to appeal is dismissed by the Court

NO MERIT After an opinion of “no merit” has been provided on an appeal grant

APPLICATION GRANTED Court decision – client’s application was granted

APPLICATION REFUSED Court decision – client’s application was refused

CONSENT ORDERS Parties agreed to Consent Orders

NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT Parties reach an agreement

NO AGREEMENT No agreement reached

GUILTY ALL CHARGES Client found guilty on all charges

GUILTY – PART Client found guilty on some charges

NOT GUILTY Client found not guilty

NOT APPLICABLE/NOT KNOWN Outcome not known

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