Young people are often unsure about 'the law' and unwilling to get legal advice, mostly because they know it can be very expensive! However, in many cases, free legal advice and representation is available to children and young people.

What are lawyers?

Lawyers are qualified professionals who have specific knowledge of the law and legal procedures. They can help their clients in many ways, from representation in court on a criminal or traffic charge to providing advice on buying a car on credit. Most lawyers describe themselves as 'barrister' or 'solicitor'; people often get confused by the difference between the two. A barrister takes instructions to help a client from another lawyer, and can appear in court. A solicitor is a lawyer who can deal with queries from members of the public. Most lawyers in New Zealand are qualified as both barristers and solicitors. There are some lawyers who choose to practise solely as barristers and specialise in one area of the law such as criminal law, family law or tax law.




Contacts

• Legal Services Agency (individual offices as per attached list) Website: www.lsa.govt.nz.
• Your local District Law Society
• In the “Yellow Pages” under “Barristers and Solicitors” or “Lawyers” (for private lawyers, who charge fees).