Information for Clients

Set out below are the details of The Law Store's standard terms of engagement.

Complaints

We maintain a procedure designed to ensure any complaint is dealt with promptly and fairly. If you have a complaint about our services or charges, you may refer your complaint in the first instance to our director Ruta Faiga.

The Law Society operates the Lawyers' Complaints Service. To make a complaint to this service call 0800 261 801.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

The Law Store holds indemnity insurance that exceeds the minimum standards of the New Zealand Law Society.

New Zealand Law Society Fidelity Fund

The New Zealand Law Society operates the Lawyers' Fidelity Fund to which clients may apply if they suffer a pecuniary loss or loss by reason of theft by their lawyer. The maximum amount payable by way of compensation is limited to $100,000. The fund does not cover losses on investments a client has instructed his/her lawyer to make.

The Law Store also holds professional indemnity insurance that exceeds the minimum standards of the New Zealand Law Society.

Client Care and Service

The Law Society client care and service information is available from our office.

The obligations lawyers owe to clients are subject to other overriding duties, including duties to the courts and to the justice system.

If you have any questions, please visit www.lawsociety.org.nz or call 0800 261 801.

Confidentiality

We will hold in confidence all information concerning you or your affairs. We will not disclose any of this information to any other person except to the extent necessary to enable us to carry out your instructions; or to the extent required by law or by the Law Society's Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.

We will not disclose to you confidential information which we have in relation to any other client.

Termination

You may terminate our retainer at any time.

We may terminate our retainer in any of the circumstances set out in the Law Society's Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.

If our retainer is terminated you must pay us all fees due up to the date of termination and all expenses incurred up to that date.

Conflicts of Interest

We have procedures in place to identify and respond to conflicts of interest. If a conflict of interest arises we will advise you of this and follow the requirements and procedures set out in the Law Society's Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.

Duty of Care

Our duty of care is to you and not to any other person. Before any other person may rely on our advice, we must expressly agree to this.

Trust Account

We maintain a trust account for all funds which we receive from clients (except monies received for payment of our invoices). If we are holding significant funds on your behalf we will normally lodge those funds on interest bearing deposit with a bank. In that case we will charge an administration fee of 15% of the interest derived.

General

We are entitled to change these Terms from time to time, in which case we will send you amended Terms. Our relationship with you is governed by New Zealand law and New Zealand courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction.