How do I find a good lawyer?
Can I get a lawyer if I am arrested?
Where can I get legal advice if I can’t afford a lawyer?
When can I complain about my lawyer?
How do I complain about my lawyer?
What happens to my complaint after I lodge it?
How do I find a good lawyer?
Finding a good lawyer who won’t break the bank can be a hard task. You can try to find a lawyer by;
- Asking friends or family to recommend one to you
- Looking in the Yellow Pages under “Lawyers” or “Barristers and Solicitors”
- Checking out the New Zealand Law Society website
- Contacting your local District Law Society or branch of the New Zealand Law Society (in the White Pages, usually under the name of the town or city you live in)
Or you can look for a specific type of lawyer;
Can I get a lawyer if I am arrested?
You have the right to talk to and instruct a lawyer without delay in private and for free, using the duty roster (a list of lawyers available 24 hours a day). There should be a list of lawyers available at the Police station. If you don’t have a lawyer, ask for the list, pick one, and ask to use the police phone. You may also be eligible for legal aid.
Where can I get legal advice if I can’t afford a lawyer?
Community law centres offer free legal advice and information.
Citizens Advice Bureaux can link you with free legal advice available in your local community. Also, some of our Bureaux offer free legal clinics for the public, where people can receive free legal advice from a lawyer during specified times at their local Bureau – for more information contact your local CAB.
Legal aid is available in some situations when people can’t afford a lawyer.
When can I complain about my lawyer?
Sometimes things can go wrong when you deal with your lawyer or law firm. Anyone can make a complaint with the Lawyers Complaints Service run by the New Zealand Law Society. You can make a complaint about;
- A lawyer or a former lawyer
- An incorporated law firm or a previously incorporated law firm
- An employee of a lawyer or an incorporated law firm – they don’t have to be a lawyer
You can complain;
- About a lawyer’s conduct, for example, if you think they have a conflict of interest
- About poor service, for example, if the lawyer has not done what they said they would do, or gave you wrong or incomplete information
- About overcharging (usually only if the bill is more than $2000 plus GST and not more than 2 years old)
- If the lawyer hasn’t complied with an order made under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act
How do I complain about my lawyer?
You should try to sort out any problems with your lawyer first. All lawyers have their own protocol for dealing with complaints, which they have to tell you. Sometimes the fastest and easiest way is to follow the lawyer’s procedures to work out your problem.
If you’re still unhappy after trying to sort out the problem with your lawyer, you can contact the Lawyers Complaints Service. A Complaints and Standards Officer may be able to help you solve the problem informally. Otherwise, they can help you make a formal complaint.
To lodge a formal complaint, you must complete a form available from the Complaints Service. More information and the form is available from the Law Society website or by calling 0800 261 801.
What happens to my complaint after I lodge it?
When the Complaints Service gets your formal complaint, it will check the complaint to see if it is valid. If your complaint isn’t valid, no further action will be taken. If it is, a copy will be sent to the lawyer and to a Standards Committee for consideration.
The Standards Committee might;
- Decide to inquire into the complaint
- Ask you and the lawyer to use mediation, conciliation or negotiation to find a solution
- Decide that no action is needed
If a matter is serious the Standards Committee may refer the complaint to the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal.