The Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers require us to give you the following information before you see one of our volunteer lawyers.
How they treat you and talk to you
• Your lawyer must treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
• They have to give you clear information and advice.
Protecting you and your interests
• They must protect and promote your interests, including your privacy.
Carrying out the work
• Your lawyer must act competently, follow your instructions, and do the work on time.
• They must discuss your objectives with you and how best to achieve them.
• They have to tell you about the work that will be done, who exactly will do it, and how they’ll do it. They have to keep you informed as the work is being done and tell you when it’s finished.
Fees
• Any fee you’re charged has to be fair, and you must be told how and when you will have to pay (but Community Law doesn’t charge fees).
Complaints
• Your lawyer has to tell you how to make a complaint, and they have to deal with any complaint quickly and fairly.
Making a complaint
If you are unhappy about the service you’ve received from us, we encourage you to use our Complaints Procedure. You can find out more about this by emailing info@wclc.org.nz
The Law Society also has a complaints service. You can contact them at: www.lawsociety.org.nz | 0800 261 801 | complaints@lawsociety.org.nz
Professional Indemnity Insurance
We hold professional indemnity insurance that meets the minimum standards set by the Law Society. We can give you details about this if you email info@wclc.org.nz
Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund
The Law Society maintains a fund of money, the Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund, which provides protection for people if any of their money is stolen by their lawyer. Community Law’s legal services are free and we don’t receive or keep any money or valuables on trust for our clients, so the Fidelity Fund isn’t relevant to our services.