I know it can be daunting meeting with a lawyer.
So, what happens when you meet with me?
Please telephone me to make an appointment to meet with me. I have a meeting room in Central Dunedin.
Where there is a real need for urgent legal advice, I can usually meet with you the same or next day.
Most first appointments last for half to one hour. Everything you tell me remains confidential. During this time you can tell me why you need a family lawyer, which may be for care of children matters, domestic violence, relationship property, separation or divorce or any other family law matter. I will ask you questions to get more details that I might need, and together we will formulate a plan for how best to deal with the family law issue you have. Feel free to bring a support person with you if you would like.
It is best if children are not present during our meetings, so please make alternative arrangements for their care if at all possible.
Please ensure you have all the documents relating to the issue you are seeing me about. This could include previous Court orders, agreements, letters, statements, bills, notes and diaries.
I will need to get contact details for you and the other party involved in the dispute. It would be helpful if you could bring the other party’s contact details with you. If you have children, I will need their full names and birth dates. If your issue relates to relationship property, I will need to know the values of all your assets and liabilities.
Where there is a real need for urgent legal advice, I can usually meet with you the same or next day.
Most first appointments last for half to one hour. Everything you tell me remains confidential. During this time you can tell me why you need a family lawyer, which may be for care of children matters, domestic violence, relationship property, separation or divorce or any other family law matter. I will ask you questions to get more details that I might need, and together we will formulate a plan for how best to deal with the family law issue you have. Feel free to bring a support person with you if you would like.
It is best if children are not present during our meetings, so please make alternative arrangements for their care if at all possible.
Please ensure you have all the documents relating to the issue you are seeing me about. This could include previous Court orders, agreements, letters, statements, bills, notes and diaries.
I will need to get contact details for you and the other party involved in the dispute. It would be helpful if you could bring the other party’s contact details with you. If you have children, I will need their full names and birth dates. If your issue relates to relationship property, I will need to know the values of all your assets and liabilities.
I will talk to you about fees and payment, including my requirement for a retainer to be paid. As a guide, I record time at the following rate:
Most matters: $300 per hour plus GST
Complex matters: $320+ per hour plus GST
Please note that time spent on your file is only one of the things I take into account when setting my fee.
If you wish to apply for legal aid, I will help you to fill in the application form. Please click here for more information about making a legal aid application. You will need to bring the $50 user charge, in cash, to your first appointment.
Immediately after our first appointment I will provide you with my letter of engagement and standard terms of engagement which set out in full the terms you agree to if you choose to retain me as your family lawyer.
Most matters: $300 per hour plus GST
Complex matters: $320+ per hour plus GST
Please note that time spent on your file is only one of the things I take into account when setting my fee.
If you wish to apply for legal aid, I will help you to fill in the application form. Please click here for more information about making a legal aid application. You will need to bring the $50 user charge, in cash, to your first appointment.
Immediately after our first appointment I will provide you with my letter of engagement and standard terms of engagement which set out in full the terms you agree to if you choose to retain me as your family lawyer.
