Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) The Law Society must ensure the Australian legal practitioner about whom the complaint is made is given:
(a) a copy of the complaint; and
(b) unless the Society advises the practitioner that the Society has dismissed or intends to dismiss the complaint, a written notice:
(i) informing the practitioner of the practitioner's right to make submissions to the Society; and
(ii) specifying the period within which submissions must be made.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the complaint is dismissed under section 478.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the Society is of the opinion that the giving of the notice will or is likely to:
(a) prejudice the investigation of the complaint; or
(b) prejudice an investigation by the police or other investigatory or law enforcement body of any matter with which the complaint is concerned; or
(c) place the complainant or another person at risk of intimidation or harassment; or
(d) prejudice pending court proceedings.
(4) If subsection (3) applies, the Society:
(a) may postpone giving the practitioner a copy of the complaint and notice about making submissions, until it is satisfied it is appropriate to do so; or
(b) may inform the practitioner of:
(i) the general nature of the complaint; and
(ii) the practitioner's right to make submissions to the Society, specifying the period within which submissions must be made, if satisfied the practitioner has sufficient information to make submissions.
(5) The notice must also inform the practitioner of any action already taken by the Society in relation to the complaint.
(6) The notice must also inform the practitioner of the practitioner's right to make submissions to the Society, unless it advises the practitioner that it has dismissed or intends to dismiss the complaint.
(7) Nothing in this section requires the Society to give written notice under this section to the practitioner until it has had time to consider the complaint, seek further information about the complaint from the complainant or otherwise undertake preliminary inquiries into the complaint, and properly prepare the notice.