Finding a Lawyer in South Auckland – A Quick Guide

If you live in Manukau and have any legal problems, then you need to find a south Auckland lawyer to help you resolve them. Given that there are so many law firms in the area, an additional problem is choosing which one to go to. Below are some tips to help you decide upon a good local lawyer.

Specialist or Generalist South Auckland Lawyer?

Any lawyer must be registered with the New Zealand Law Society. They will often have their certificate on display in their office. If not, it is as well to verify their legal ability to practice.

The first questions to ask yourself are whether your issue is very unusual, is it highly specific, or is it a more common type of legal issue?

For example, you might have a family law issue such as domestic violence, or childcare concerns. Your topic might be an employment law issue, either as an employee or the employer. You might have a land problem with the Auckland Council. Some people might assume that these are quite specific issues which would be best handled by a specialist south Auckland lawyer.

Other people might think that it is better to have the same lawyer for all of their legal issues. That way the generalist lawyer or in conjunction with their colleagues, they get to know your business, both personal and work related.

For example, if you hire one of the lawyers in south Auckland when you buy a house, the same lawyer will be able to draft a will for you.

Again, if you are a commercial organisation, the same law firm can support you with a wide range of issues from company formation, writing terms of trade and contracts, employment issues, disputes with suppliers or partners, and more.

The examples above of specialist legal issues can often, in fact usually, be handled by a generalist law firm because they will have a number of lawyers who themselves are specialists in a range of different legal fields.

One example of a generalist south Auckland lawyer that can support clients across numerous legal fields is McVeagh Fleming, in central Manukau city.

Factors to Consider

Before committing to working with a law firm, or even an individual lawyer, you need to look at a few factors.

These include finding out if the prospective lawyer has worked on a similar case as yours. In short, do they have the experience?

Another question to ask is what capacity do they currently have? It is no good aiming to work with one lawyer if they are booked solid for the next three months.

Many law firms in Manukau offer an initial free consultation. This allows them to understand your case, and for you to see if you like them. Remember, even a legal case is about people.

Do You Need To Go To Court?

Most lawyers will strive to get your case resolved without going to court. This is very expensive and can take a long time. However, sometimes it is inevitable that court will be needed. Therefore, at the interview stage, ask if your lawyer has court experience for your type of issue.

If they do not have direct courtroom experience, they will work with a barrister who will conduct the actual court proceedings, possibly supported by your lawyer. Again, ask what is their process for selecting a barrister if that will be needed. Of course, you also need to get an estimate of courtroom costs.

Costs

Before you commit to going further with your case, it is wise to get an estimate of costs and fees. Apart from a house transaction, all other cases will not have a fixed cost, but you can get some idea of your potential expense. It may be daunting but at least you will have an indication.

Testimonials and Reviews

These days it is relatively easy to see what previous clients think about a lawyer or law firm. Google reviews are easily available. However, not all law firms have resources to collect reviews so they may have testimonials in other forms. Ask to see these to reassure yourself that you are making a god choice.

One highly respected law firm in Manukau is McVeagh Fleming. They will have a south Auckland lawyer able to help you with most legal issues you face.