1. Law Access will provide you with the applicant’s contact details and any relevant papers we have, and ask you to contact the applicant to make an appointment. We can ask the applicant to contact you to arrange a meeting if you would prefer.
2. The applicant is not a client of Law Access. Once the referral takes place, we are happy to provide any support we can, but we do not usually have any further involvement.
3. You must establish a client relationship in the usual way. We recommend that you enter into your usual written solicitor/client agreement adapted to reflect the circumstances of the particular case.
4. Please ensure that the applicant/client is aware of any cost implications (if any) of the matter, particularly where litigation is envisaged.
5. If you accept the referral on the basis that it will be a deferred/conditional fee arrangement, you should agree the terms with the client in advance (i.e. what costs will be payable, on what basis they will be determined, and what will constitute success for the purposes of claiming fees). We do not refer clients in circumstances where the agreement would allow the lawyer to claim all the monies a client may be successful in obtaining, and would not consider this a successful outcome.
6. So that we can monitor the outcome of the matter referred to ensure that our program is operating effectively, we ask that you let us know the outcome of the matter, and provide any feedback you may have about the referral process.
7. Law Access seeks to promote the work of the profession in the pro bono area through newsletters, Brief and the Law Society website. Please indicate if you do not want the name of your firm mentioned in that way.
8. Law Access has a limited disbursement fund for pro bono lawyers who take our referrals. The fund may cover fees for such things including interpreter or translator fees, expert reports, transcript fees, application fees and solicitors’ travel and accommodation expenses. Further information about the fund and how to apply can be found in the Law Access Disbursement Fund Guidelines and Agreement in our Support and Resources (see Disbursements information for pro bono lawyers).