Legal Support & Referral Services

Legal support and referral services include a broad range of civil and criminal legal counselling, aid, support, agency, recruitment, training, litigation and processing services. The range of litigation services includes employment law, commercial litigation, arbitration, class actions, family law and public inquiries.

Legal aid and support services provide legal advice, referral and litigation services through qualified solicitors. Government funded legal aid services ensure the provision of legal support and advice to people who may otherwise be unable to afford legal representation. Legal aid and legal advice is also commonly delivered by community legal centres. These are community and government-funded, independent, non-profit organisations which provide referral, advice and assistance to people with legal problems. Legalaid and legal advice services often operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing services in person, by telephone and online.

Legal referral services specialise in directing preliminary legal matter enquiries to specialist solicitors, practising in the relevant area of law. Many such services are provided by professional legal associations free of charge to the general public. In general, law firms included in legal referral services provide an initial enquiry interview free of charge. Legal referral services enable individuals to determine the nature of their legal problem, discover their options and receive an estimate of costs to pursue the matter. Legal support outsourcing and liaison agencies provide legal support, processing, document and information services directly to and on behalf of solicitors. Many legal support agencies utilise specialise software to ensure timely and confidential processing of these activities in an entirely electronic environment. Legal services may also provide process services, specialist and expert testimony and deliver forensic evidence, computer and data services.