Our Client Care Charter

1.Client Care: We are committed to doing our best to ensure that your legal needs are met at all times.

1.1We will:
(a) Protect and promote your interests and act for you free from compromising influences or loyalties. (b) Discuss with you your objectives and how they should best be achieved. (c) Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made. (d) Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will do it and the way the services will be provided. This information is set out in our Letter of Engagement. (e) Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality. (f) Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination. (g) Give you clear information and advice. (h) Keep you informed about the work being done and advise you when it is completed. (i) Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed. (j) Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.

1.2 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 justice system. If you have any questions, please contact us on 03 377 4470 or www.srblaw.co.nz or the Law Society on 0800 261 801 or www.lawsociety.org.nz.

1.3 Any limitations on the extent of our obligation to you are set out in our Letter of Engagement.

2. Professional Indemnity Insurance:
We hold professional indemnity insurance that meets or exceeds the minimum standards specified by the Law Society. We will provide you with particulars of the minimum standards upon request.

3. Lawyers Fidelity Fund:
The Lawyers Fidelity Fund provides a limited form of cover up to specified maximums in certain circumstances, generally excluding investment monies.

4. Complaints:
We maintain a procedure for handling any complaints by clients, designed to ensure that a complaint is dealt with promptly and fairly. If you do not wish to refer your complaint to a person referred to in our Letter of Engagement, or you are not satisfied with that person’s response to your complaint, please contact the Managing Partners Geoff Saunders or Lee Robinson.

We are committed to resolving any issues as soon as possible. You can also contact the NZ Law Society’s Complaint Service at:

5. 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. A full list of the rates of any lawyers working for you is available at any time. These rates may change from time to 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.

6. Billing Arrangement:
To help you budget we issue interim accounts, usually monthly, while work is in progress, with a final bill on completion. Current payment terms are set out on invoices from time to time, and unless otherwise stated are due for payment within 14 days. We may deduct from funds held on your behalf any fees, disbursements or expenses for which we have provided an invoice.

7. Completion:
When the work 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.

8. Conclusion:
We look forward to an ongoing relationship with you so please retain this copy of Our Charter as the core basis of our relationship and our commitment to you.