Thursday, 21st November 2024
158 Liverpool Street
Hobart Tas 7000
GPO Box 1422
Hobart Tas 7001
DX Address: DX 123
Telephone: (03) 6236 3800
Fax: (03) 6236 3811
64 Cameron Street
Launceston Tas 7250
PO Box 810
Launceston Tas 7250
DX 70126
Telephone: (03) 6336 2050
Fax: (03) 6336 2074
8 Griffith Street
Devonport Tas 7310
PO Box 87
Devonport Tas 7310
DX 70354
Telephone: (03) 6421 7870
Fax: (03) 6421 7871
50 Alexander Street
Burnie Tas 7320
PO Box 550
Burnie Tas 7320
DX 70209
Telephone: (03) 6434 6444
Fax: (03) 6434 6440
The Referral List is a collection of Tasmanian legal and non-legal organisations and support services.
Quick simple advice (for example, do I need to see a lawyer?) can be answered over the telephone at 1300 366 611.
Legal Aid also conducts clinics with 10 minute appointments on Family Law and Criminal Law issues for people who are eligible for Legal Aid. (As a rough guide, if you hold a Health Care Card then you may be eligible).
For more than this, it is necessary to make an appointment to see a Lawyer. You can choose your own private lawyer or you can ask Legal Aid to choose a lawyer for you.
If you see a private lawyer they can discuss with you whether you are likely to be eligible for legal aid, assist with the application and explain the legal aid system to you.
Please give us feedback about your experiences using Foolkit and ideas for improvements.
There are private companies that will "back" some cases. Their fees and interest rates reflect the risk involved for them. They may only cover your lawyer's costs, and not cover any costs awarded against you. There are many implications of such arrangements and you need to discuss with your solicitor. Some solicitors choose not to be involved with these arrangements.
Some financial institutions also have special lending arrangements to assist with litigation. Where available, these can be cheaper than litigation funds. But, the money has to be paid back whether you win or loose.
Many personal injury lawyers offer "No Win - No Charge" or "No Win, No Fee" legal services when they believe that a case is reasonably likely to be successful.
It is not a free service. When a successful outcome is achieved (i.e. you are awarded money or perhaps another benefit of some kind), a success fee, or contingency fee is also usually applied. Read through the agreement between you and your lawyer carefully and discuss any questions you may have with your lawyer.
Again, never choose a lawyer on the basis of a "No Win No Fee" arrangement. Choose the best lawyer for you and discuss the issue of costs with them.
This is a phrase derived from Latin meaning "for the public good." It describes professional work undertaken by lawyers voluntarily and without payment, as a public service. Unlike traditional volunteerism, pro bono service leverages the specific skills of professionals to provide services to those who are unable to afford them.
There is no organisation in Tasmania that links people and not for profit organisations with legal and other professional advisors to address issues of concern in the community. However, Tasmanian lawyers have a long history of undertaking selective pro bono work. If you have exhausted all other avenues of assistance and you wish to find a firm that might consider your matter, then contact the Law Society who may be able to suggest the names of a few firms who might be prepared to look into it.
Never choose a lawyer on the basis of a "Free First Interview". There is little cost in seeing a solicitor of your choice to find out if you have a case worth pursuing or whether it is the sort of case that you should handle yourself.
If you have a serious case, the cost of the first interview is "the tip of the iceberg".
