The super fund exclusively for Australia's legal community.
LegalSuper is an industry superannuation fund regulated by APRA. Established in 1988, the fund is headquartered in VIC and operates under RSE Licence L0002585. The trustee responsible for managing the fund is LegalSuper Pty Ltd.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| ABN | 37 004 455 789 |
| RSE Licence | L0002585 |
| Trustee | LegalSuper Pty Ltd |
| Legal Name | LegalSuper Pty Ltd |
| Established | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Level 12, 575 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 |
| Fund Type | Industry |
| USI | LEG0100AU |
| Member Services Phone | 1800 060 312 |
| Website | https://www.legalsuper.com.au |
LegalSuper manages $8 billion in assets under management, serving around 50 members across approximately 8,000 employers. This makes it a smaller fund in the Australian superannuation landscape.
LegalSuper is a smaller, specialist fund. While this means less scale advantage when negotiating investment fees, it often translates to more personalised service and a stronger connection to its specific member community. Members should weigh the benefits of industry-specific focus against the potential cost savings available at larger funds.
LegalSuper's MySuper option charges a total fee of $501 per year on a $50,000 balance (0.75% of a $50,000 balance). On a $100,000 balance, annual fees come to $846. The fee structure includes a fixed administration component plus percentage-based investment and indirect cost charges.
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration Fee (Flat) | $156 p.a. |
| Administration Fee (%) | 0.18% |
| Investment Fee (MySuper) | 0.45% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.06% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.08% |
| Performance Fee | No |
The table below shows how LegalSuper's total annual fees scale with your account balance. Funds with a higher flat fee component tend to be proportionally more expensive at lower balances.
| Balance | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee ($) | $225 | $328 | $501 | $846 | $1,881 | $3,606 |
| Fee as % of Balance | 2.25% | 1.31% | 1.00% | 0.85% | 0.75% | 0.72% |
At 7.0% annualised over 10 years, LegalSuper's Balanced option has underperformed relative to some of its peers. While past performance is not indicative of future returns, prospective members should consider whether the fund's other features compensate for this below-average return.
| Period | Return (p.a.) |
|---|---|
| 1 Year | +10.5% |
| 3 Years | +7.0% |
| 5 Years | +7.0% |
| 7 Years | +7.2% |
| 10 Years | +7.0% |
The following table shows the annual returns for LegalSuper's Balanced option for each financial year. This allows you to see how the fund performed during both strong market years and downturns, including the COVID-19 sell-off in FY2020 and the inflation-driven correction in FY2022.
| Year | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | +9.2% | +3.0% | +11.2% | +9.0% | +7.2% | -0.8% | +17.5% | -3.5% | +9.2% | +8.0% |
LegalSuper offers 10 investment options spanning pre-mixed diversified portfolios and single-sector choices. Each option carries a different risk profile and fee structure. The asset allocation doughnut charts below show the mix of growth and defensive assets within each option.
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 5 — Medium to High | 0.75% | +10.5% | +7.0% | +7.0% |
LegalSuper provides default insurance cover through AIA Australia. Most members are automatically enrolled in death and TPD cover when they join, while income protection is typically opt-in. Insurance premiums are deducted directly from your super balance, which means you do not pay out of pocket but your retirement savings are reduced over time.
| Cover Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurer | AIA Australia |
| Death Cover | Yes — opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — opt-out |
| Income Protection | Yes — opt-in |
APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) publishes an annual MySuper Product Heatmap that assesses each fund across fees, investment returns, and sustainability. The heatmap uses a traffic-light system to flag products that may be underperforming relative to peers. Here is where LegalSuper's MySuper option sits on the latest heatmap:
A "Below median" fee rating means the fund's fees are lower than the typical MySuper product — which is positive for members. An "Above median" return rating indicates the fund has delivered stronger returns than the median fund. A "Performing" sustainability rating means APRA has not identified any concerns about the product's long-term viability.
LegalSuper is led by CEO Andrew Proebstl. The board comprises 9 directors, with equal representation of 3 member-elected and 3 employer-appointed directors, plus 3 independent directors. As an APRA-regulated fund, LegalSuper must meet strict governance standards including director fitness and propriety requirements, risk management frameworks, and regular independent audits.
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| CEO | Andrew Proebstl |
| Member-Elected Directors | 3 |
| Employer-Appointed Directors | 3 |
| Independent Directors | 3 |
LegalSuper maintains a formal ESG policy.
| ESG Criteria | Status |
|---|---|
| ESG Policy | Yes |
| UN PRI Signatory | N/A |
| ACSI Member | N/A |
| Fossil Fuel Exclusion | N/A |
| Tobacco Exclusion | N/A |
| Weapons Exclusion | N/A |
The app currently holds a 4.0 rating on iOS and 3.8 on Android. There may be room for improvement in the digital member experience.
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | 4.0/5.0 |
| Android App Rating | 3.8/5.0 |
During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, LegalSuper lost 14.0%, roughly in line with the industry average. The GFC remains the most severe market downturn in recent memory and tested every super fund's risk management framework.
In the COVID-19 year (FY2020), LegalSuper limited losses to just -0.8%, recovering strongly through the second half of the year.
How a fund performs during market downturns can be as revealing as its long-term returns. Funds that limit losses during crashes tend to have more conservative asset allocations or better risk management, though this can sometimes come at the cost of lower returns during boom periods.
With 3.6 complaints per 10,000 members, LegalSuper's complaint rate is around the industry average. This level is typical for a fund of its size and does not indicate any systemic service issues.
AFCA is the independent complaints body for financial services in Australia. Members can escalate complaints to AFCA if they are unable to resolve a dispute directly with their super fund. The complaints-per-10,000-members ratio is the most meaningful comparison metric as it adjusts for fund size.
See how LegalSuper stacks up against every other fund in our database with a detailed side-by-side comparison.