What to Expect

Most people work with us three times during their legal issue.

1. Initial Contact
When you first contact us, you'll speak with our reception team. We'll ask a few questions to check whether you're eligible for our services and, if appropriate, help arrange an appointment with one of our lawyers.

2. Case Assessment
Once eligibility is confirmed, a caseworker will contact you. This is usually by phone, but may be in person or by video call. They'll discuss your situation and what you're hoping to achieve.

3. Legal Advice
After we've assessed your case, you'll receive legal advice. This is usually provided in writing by email or during a follow-up phone call.

We help people who don’t have much money.  The first time we talk to you we need to ask some questions about your financial situation. If you’re a student, a beneficiary, unemployed or on a low income, it’s likely that we can help.

We only help people from some parts of Auckland. This is dictated by our contract with the Ministry of Justice.  We help people from: Auckland DHB region (excl. Otahuhu), the North Shore (east of the motorway), and the Howick/Pakuranga Peninsula).

If you are not eligible for our services, we will try to refer you to a private lawyer or suitable organisation.

The legal issues we commonly work with include:

1. Employment

2. Money trouble (Work and Income, credit and debt, fines and court fines, problems with goods and services)

3. Tenancy and housing issues

4. Family matters (caring for children and family violence)

5. Immigration

Issues we don’t help with include business, commercial, trust, relationship property, and the buying/selling of houses.   

We can swear affidavits and statutory declarations with you but cannot usually advise on their contents.

Our services are designed to help people to solve their own legal issues.  We do things this way because it allows us to help more people.

We will do some of the tasks involved in solving a legal problem.  You do the remaining tasks and are responsible for the overall progress of your case.

Some of the tasks we might do for you include:

1. Providing advice on your legal rights

2. Providing advice on the chances of success

3. Providing advice within a larger legal matter, for example, checking a letter to be sent to the other party in your own name.

4. Helping you to manage an urgent risk without time to do a thorough investigation

We very rarely go to court or write to other people on your behalf.