ENGAGEMENT LETTER
We are delighted to be acting on your behalf.
Client Care Charter – our commitment to you
We are committed to doing our best to ensure that your legal needs are met in this matter. We will:
1. Protect and promote your interests and act for you free from compromising influences or loyalties.
2. Discuss with you your objectives and how they should best be achieved.
3. Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
4. Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will do it and the way the services will be provided.
5. Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality.
6. Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
7. Give you clear information and advice.
8. Keep you informed about the work being done and advise you when it is completed.
9. Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
10. Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.
The obligations lawyers owe to clients are described in the Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers. Those obligations are subject to other overriding duties, including duties to the courts and the justice system. If you have any questions, please contact us on 09 579 0045 or andrewlemalulaw.co.nz or the Law Society on 0800 261 801 or lawsociety.org.nz.
People responsible for your work
Andrew Lemalu will be the partner with overall responsibility for the work on this matter. He will be assisted by either Kirstin Walters, Christine O’Connell or Pam Bellingham (legal executives) or Dev Lemalu and Nicola Fiebiger who are solicitors. Feel free to contact any of us at any time.
The basis of our charges
Unless agreed otherwise our fees are based on the range of factors applied by the NZ Law Society, including time, expertise, importance, urgency and results achieved.
We will charge a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
These rates may change from time to time, and a full list of the rates of any lawyers working for you is available at any time. We also charge for disbursements (court fees, registrations, duties/levies etc) and travel expenses incurred on your behalf. These will be itemised separately, and we will notify you if any fees or disbursements need to be paid for in advance.
We are happy to discuss other fee arrangements that you may prefer, such as fixed fees, conditional fees and retainers.
For straightforward conveyancing, mortgage work, wills and gifting and a range of other standard transactions an estimate of fees and disbursements is available on enquiry.
Billing arrangements
Current payment terms are set out on invoices from time to time, and unless otherwise stated are due for payment within 7 days. We may deduct from funds held on your behalf any fees, disbursements or expenses for which we have provided an invoice.
Professional indemnity insurance & fidelity fund
We hold professional indemnity insurance that meets or exceeds standards specified by the Law Society. The Lawyers’ Fidelity Fund also provides a limited form of cover up to specified maximums in certain circumstances, generally excluding investment monies.
Complaints
If you have any concerns or complaints that you prefer not to raise with the partner named above with overall responsibility for this matter, please contact Andrew Lemalu personally. We are committed to resolving any issues as soon as possible. You can also contact the NZ Law Society’s Lawyers’ Complaints Service on 0800 261 801.
Completion
When this matter is completed, we will advise you accordingly and provide a brief summary of the work undertaken if we have not already done so. Where appropriate we will also identify any necessary future action that may be required.
Conclusion
We value your instructions in this matter and look forward to their successful completion. We also look forward to an ongoing relationship with you, so please retain this letter as the core basis of our relationship and our commitment to you to attend to your affairs diligently, with an efficient, effective and professional service.
Yours faithfully
ANDREW LEMALU LAW
ANDREW LEMALU
Principal