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#Community Law: Free legal help throughout Aotearoa Free Legal Help

Initial information and advice

Check out your nearest Community Law Centre here. to find the best way to get in touch with one of our lawyers.

If you are coming to us for free legal help your first contact with us will most likely be in the form of a telephone call or a face-to-face interview.

Some Community Law Centres prefer you to make appointments, while others run drop-in sessions where you don't need an appointment.

Many centres provide specialist lawyers (for example, employment or family lawyers) at particular times. Many also provide outreach legal help – we come to your community so that you don't have to come to us.

During your initial interview we will help you work out what your legal problems are. We will work through the different choices and solutions available to you. Generally you will have more than one option. We can help you work out which solution best suits you, and help you to acheive it – perhaps by drafting a letter or agreement, or by contacting the other party.

Ongoing assistance

Often, one letter or phone call is enough to solve the problem. If, however, your legal problem is more complicated, Community Law Centres may be able to provide you with ongoing legal help. This means we will open a file for you at our office and work alongside you until your legal issue is resolved.

It is important to note that receiving ongoing assistance will depend on whether you meet eligibility criteria.

If we can't provide ongoing help we can refer you to a private lawyer who is right for you. You may have to pay for this private lawyer's advice, or you may be eligible for Legal Aid .

Representation

If your legal problem is not solved before this stage, some Community Law Centres can represent you in tribunals or courts. Note that this is uncommon and will depend on whether you meet eligibility criteria.

Mediation

Sometimes it can be helpful to take a step 'sideways' and try to find a different way to resolve your legal problem.

Mediation can be useful in many situations, including relationship, employment, community, commercial and ACC disputes – in fact any situation when two or more parties are unable to resolve a problem by themselves.

If both parties agree to mediation, a mediator will work with them to try to reach agreement. A mediator doesn't make the final decision – mediation continues until both parties agree.

Some Community Law Centres offer mediation in-house, and others partnership with other agencies to provide mediation.

Check out your local Community Law Centres here to find out how they can connect you with a mediation service in your area.