CLIENT CARE RULES FOR JDLO CLIENTS
In Accordance With the Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers of the New Zealand Law Society ("NZLS")
1. Caring For Clients Results 2. Client Care And Service 3. Professional Indemnity Insurance 4. Lawyers Fidelity Fund 5. Limitations On Extent Of Our Obligations Or Liability 6. Complaints He may be contacted as follows by:
jdlo© updated 14 April 2017
As from 1 August 2008 Parliament promulgated Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers proscribing obligations lawyers owe to clients. John Dean Law Office ("JDLO") is pleased to be of assistance, and will always act in clients’ best interests, hold in confidence all client information, be caring about clients’ results, and endeavour to deliver cost effective legal services.
To assist clients, we set out the main points of these Rules.
JDLO shall:
• Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
• Protect and promote your interests and act for you free from compromising influences or loyalties.
• Discuss your objectives with you and how they should best be achieved.
• Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will do it and the way the services will be provided.
• Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
• Give you clear information and advice.
• Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality.
• Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
• Keep you informed about the work being carried out and advise you when it is completed.
• Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.
These obligations are subject to other overriding duties, including duties to the Courts and to the justice system.
If you have any questions, please visit the NZLS website at www.lawyers.org.nz
or call the NZLS on +644-472-7837.
We hold professional indemnity insurance which meets or exceeds the minimum standards specified by the NZLS. We will provide you with particulars of the minimum standards upon request.
The NZLS maintains the Lawyers Fidelity Fund for the purposes of providing clients of lawyers with protection against pecuniary loss arising from theft by lawyers. The maximum amount payable by the Fidelity Fund by way of compensation to an individual claimant is limited to $100,000.00. Except in certain circumstances specified in the Lawyers & Conveyancers Act 2006 the Fidelity Fund does not cover a client for any loss relating to money which a lawyer is instructed to invest on behalf of the client.
Any limitations on the extent of our obligations to you or any limitation or exclusion of liability are set out in our letter of engagement or retainer agreement.
We maintain a procedure for handling any complaints by clients, designed to ensure that a complaint is dealt with promptly and fairly.
If you have a complaint about our services or charges, you may refer your complaint to the person in our firm who has overall responsibility for your work.
If you do not wish to refer your complaint to that person, or you are not satisfied with that person’s response to your complaint, you may refer your complaint to John Dean, Principal.
• letter at PO Box 10-107 Wellington 6143;
• email at :jad@jdlo.co.nz