1. Client Care and Service
2. Standard Terms of Engagement

Client Care and Service

The New Zealand Law Society client care and service information is set out below.

Whatever legal services your lawyer is providing, he or she must:

• Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
• Protect and promote your interests and act for you free from compromising influences or loyalties.
• Discuss with you your objectives and how they should best be achieved.
• Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will do it and the way the services will be provided.
• Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
• Give you clear information and advice.
• Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality.
• Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
• Keep you informed about the work being done and advise you when it is completed.
• Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.

The obligations lawyers owe to clients are described in the Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers. Those obligations are subject to other overriding duties, including duties to the courts and to the justice system.

The New Zealand Law Society website for general information on client care and services is www.lawsociety.org.nz. The phone number is 0800 261 801.

For your information, the Hawke’s Bay Office of the Lawyers Complaints Service contact details are as follows:

Standard Terms of Engagement

My Standard Terms of Engagement will be provided to you either by email or when you attend at my office.  They will vary slightly according to the work to be undertaken.