The solicitor/advocate-client relationship is one of mutual trust, respect and confidence. Below are our commitments to you as a student client, and our expectations if you seek our advice and representation.
- Everything you tell us is CONFIDENTIAL. We will ask for permission to contact any third parties on your behalf.
- We will treat you professionally, with courtesy and respect at all times.
- You have a right to clear, easy to understand advice.
- We will communicate with you regularly and promptly in whatever way you choose. We will try to respond to emails and return calls within 48 hours.
- We will give you honest and accurate advice about your matter, including a reasonable appraisal of your position and prospects of success. And we will keep you informed if we believe that new information substantially changes the likely outcome of your case.
- We will also keep you informed of the content of correspondence by us on your behalf.
- We will file all original documents if we hold them for you, or have them copied and kept secure, and return to you on completion of your case.
- Your matter may fall outside of the scope of this service, i.e. where it does not involve a legal or advocacy issue. We can’t help you if that happens but we will do our best to refer you to a service that can.
- We will not help you if you ask us to take steps which would be unethical, unprofessional, improper or illegal, or a potential breach of the UNSW Code of Conduct. We will also review any vexatious claims or nuisance students before accepting to act on your behalf.
- It is important to keep in regular contact if your matter is ongoing; we generally won’t take action unless and until we speak to you first or have all the necessary and relevant information. If we are waiting to hear from you, we will not take responsibility for any delay.
- Sometimes we may have to give you advice that you may not like or agree with. But we still expect you to be courteous and respectful. And we will stop acting for you if you aren’t. We will also stop acting for you if you lie to us, misrepresent the facts or in any way mislead us.
- We expect you will provide all necessary information and correspondence relevant to your matter when requested. Our advice is based on the information you give us so it is important to tell us everything which may affect the outcome and cooperate with requests for additional information.
- We will advise you to the best of our ability; whether you choose to accept our advice is entirely your choice. But the assistance we are able to provide may be limited if you choose not to accept our advice.
- You can change your mind or refuse to have us act for you. Please notify us in writing if you no longer wish us to act on your behalf.
- We may stop acting for you if:
- there is a serious breakdown of confidence and trust between us;
- a conflict of interest arises which prevents us from continuing to act;
- you give us instructions which require us to act against the advice we have given to you;
- you fail to co-operate with us, or you treat staff with discourtesy or disrespect;
- we don’t receive adequate instructions or you fail to reply within a reasonable time;
- if we think that you have lost confidence in our ability to give advice and advocate on your behalf; or
- you are not a current UNSW student.
- If any of the above happens we will advise you in writing of our intention to end the relationship and our reasons.
