Why you are better off with a lawyer
Non-lawyer advocates vs legal professionals
Non-lawyer advocates and ‘no-win no-fee’ arrangements are on the rise. This makes sense in the New Zealand employment jurisdiction. Access to the justice is unaffordable for many and non-lawyer advocates provide a pathway to representation.
Non-lawyer advocates play an essential role, but there are risks. Unlike lawyers, non-lawyer advocates are not subject to professional standards and statutory regulation. Lawyers must act competently, in a timely manner, and in the best interests of their clients. If they don’t, they can be subject to disciplinary proceedings and hefty penalties.
There are currently no similar regulations for non-lawyer advocates, no minimum qualifications, and no professional standards they must follow. This lack of oversight means there is little you can do if your advocate does a poor job of representing you.
With Hills Employment Law you don’t have to take that risk.
Professional legal advice for the price of an advocate
Hills Employment Law is a virtual law practice. You can obtain the same legal expertise and protection from a traditional legal practice, but without the overheads that result in higher legal fees. Meetings, document reviews, and strategy sessions happen online. This means you are not paying for office space, travel time, or administrative layers. You will obtain focused legal support at a cost comparable to a non-lawyer advocate.
Hourly rates are approximately 40%-50% of the market rate for experienced employment lawyers in New Zealand’s main centres. Rates can also be the same or lower than hourly rates of non-lawyer advocates.
In certain circumstances a conditional fee agreement may be offered. Under a conditional fee agreement with Hills Employment Law, a client will pay a certain fee if there is a successful outcome. A reduced fee is payable following an unsuccessful outcome.
