The professional legal advice service is exclusively available to General, Graduate members, Affiliate members and Fellows who have continuously held their membership with ACN for a minimum of 12 months.

This benefit does not apply to Undergraduate, Honorary Fellows and Associate Members.

Meridian Lawyers has been appointed to provide this exclusive service for eligible members. Meridian’s experience in supporting health professionals is unparalleled, with one of the largest and most expansive health law practices in Australia. Being the leading national law firm with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Newcastle, Brisbane and Perth, Meridian has extensive skills and knowledge in health law and represents health practitioners across all types of work settings to address the many legal issues that confront the nursing profession and healthcare in general. In addition, their deep sector knowledge and experience in healthcare can help nursing members navigate the unique issues nurses face in a strategic and practical way.

Many Meridian Lawyers have been recognised by Best Lawyers Australian 2021 in Health and Aged Care and Medical Negligence. Meridian was also recognised in the latest edition of the Doyle’s Guide as one of Australia’s leading medical negligence and professional indemnity legal practices. For further information about Meridian Lawyers, please visit here.

This offer gives eligible members easy access to legal advice and guidance to give confidence regarding issues of professional practice and decision-making. Use this service to seek professional legal advice in areas like accidents, health and injuries, health registration and regulation concerns. The following legal areas are included in this benefit:

The following legal areas are not included in this benefit:

• Eligible members will have access to one (1) complimentary hour of professional legal advice within their membership year, i.e., from the most recent renewal date until the end of the current membership year. This information is available in the Account Summary in the member portal (https://members.acn.edu.au à My accounts à Account Summary)
• Eligible members can decide how to use this one hour, i.e., the entire one hour in one session or two sessions of 30 minutes each. This can be arranged directly with the assigned lawyer.
• If eligible members decide to use two sessions of 30 minutes each, the leftover duration would not be rolled over to the following membership year should eligible members not use up the allowance.
• When this allowance is up, members can choose to continue the legal service at their own expense. This can be arranged directly with the assigned lawyer.
• The unused hour will not be rolled over to the following year should eligible members not access it in the current year.
• A new one (1) complimentary hour of professional legal advice will be automatically added in the following membership year as far as membership payment is up-to-date.

For eligible members, to access this benefit from the member portal:

1. Login to the member portal via https://members.acn.edu.au using your ACN membership details
2. Hover your mouse over ‘My benefit’ and click on ‘Professional Legal Advice Service’
3. Click on ‘Access professional legal advice Service’ to be directed to the EOI form
4. Click on ‘Proceed to EOI Form’ and briefly describe the type of advice required. All fields marked with an Asterix in the form are required. The form author can select a priority level of the request for the next day or two business day response.
5. Click on ‘Submit’ at the end of the form to send details for review and response. The form author will receive a confirmation email that acknowledges receipt of the request.
6. An assigned Meridian Lawyer will contact the form author within the requested timeframe, i.e., next day or two business day turnaround.

Alternatively, eligible members can also access this benefit from the main website:

1. Go to acn.edu.au
2. Hover your mouse over ‘Membership’ and click on ‘Legal advice’
3. Click on ‘Access professional legal advice service via members portal’
4. Follow the step above from the beginning

Welcome to the ACN Tribe. If you have joined as a General, Graduate or Affiliate member recently, you will have access to this service twelve (12) months after your first membership payment date as long as your membership payment is up-to-date.

If you have joined as an Undergraduate member or Associate Member, you are not eligible for this benefit.

No, access to this benefit is available exclusively to General, Graduate and Affiliate members and Fellows who have held their membership with ACN for a minimum of 12 months continuously.

This benefit does not apply to Undergraduate, Retired members, Honorary Fellows and Associate Members.

For further questions about this benefit, please contact membership@acn.edu.au or acn@meridianlawyers.com.au.