Our Service Is Simple

We help you to find the right lawyer, solicitor or mediator for you by matching the details of your case and your particular needs to lawyers who are able to best meet your needs and the requirements of your case. Why is this so important? Because engaging a lawyer that is not appropriate to your case and your particular needs can be a painful experience that may result in an outcome that does not fit with the merits of your case. Moreover, by choosing the right lawyer, solicitor or mediator, you maximise your potential for the outcome that protects your rights.

Our Service Is Free

We do not charge you for the use of this service. This is because access to justice is already difficult and out-of-reach for many. Furthermore, we believe that our service allows you to have the best chance of finding the right lawyer, solicitor or mediator for you.

Corporate Information

LOCATE A LAWYER Pty Ltd
ABN 36 134 309 256
ACN 134 309 256

Our Vision

Access for all people to legal advice, legal representation and alternative dispute resolution services that meet their particular requirements and needs.

Our Mission

To promote appropriate engagement of members of the legal industry by all people in accordance with their particular requirements and needs in order to achieve best possible outcomes, so as to promote the good reputation of and optimise the public’s confidence in the legal industry.

Our Values

Clients

All of our clients are entitled to high quality, fair and respectful services, based on their needs and delivered without discrimination.

Social Justice

We are committed to promoting and pursuing equity and social justice, through the provision of legal referral services that are available to and accessible by all.

Collaboration

We liaise and network with other organisations and stakeholders so as to ensure that our clients and staff can maximise their performance and achieve their goals. Importantly, such collaboration does not in any way compromise the independence of or cause any bias in such organisations and stakeholders when providing services to our clients, because the provision of services between the clients and such organisations and stakeholders is of paramount consideration above and beyond any such collaboration between us and such organisations and stakeholders.

Accountability

All activities undertaken by us are targeted to meet the needs and goals of our clients.

Ethical Behaviour

We promote the need for access to justice through legal advice, legal representation and alternative dispute resolution, by making legal services referrals to our clients that add positivity and greater certainty in their lives through meeting their requirements and needs. For us, making such legal services referrals is of paramount importance above and beyond any relationship between us and any organisations and stakeholders.

Professionalism

We strive to provide high-quality services, by upholding professional integrity and honesty.

Client Care Contact

Please click here to contact the secretariat of LOCATE A LAWYER®.

Corporate Governance

The Value of Integrity of LOCATE A LAWYER® states: "We employ the highest ethical standards, demonstrating honesty and fairness in every action that we take."

Just as important is our Value of Accountability: “We take responsibility for our performance in all of our decisions and actions.”

Building upon these values and upon long-standing company policies of legal and ethical compliance, LOCATE A LAWYER® reaffirms its commitment to the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct.

Corporate Social Responsibility

With operations around Australia that reach clients through our virtual supply channels, the ‘great southern land’ is not just where we do business – it’s where we live, play and raise our families. LOCATE A LAWYER® is committed to being a corporate citizen, whose practices are good for our communities, environment, employees, associates, affiliates and business.

Our corporate responsibility objectives include:

  • Our Environment: To lead as an accountable corporation, working with our clients, employees, associates, affiliates, business partners and communities to minimise our impact on the environment;
  • Our Communities: To be a positive influence in the communities in which we work and live;
  • Our Workplace: To maintain a professionally challenging, rewarding, respectful and safe workplace for all of our employees, affiliates, associates and business partners.

The community that is LOCATE A LAWYER® comprises exceptional people who share similar values. We believe that corporate social responsibility begins with ourselves and the policies and procedures that we have in place to guide our personal and corporate behaviour. These give us a strong foundation on which to base our decisions, drive innovation, and actively manage our operations across Australia.

We are working to build in corporate social responsibility as an intrinsic part of our long-term strategy, which we believe is an investment that creates competitive advantage and helps LOCATE A LAWYER® to achieve profitable and sustainable growth. We aim every day to do what is right, what is best, and what is fair and equitable in delivering value to our clients and maintaining a strong and viable business.

Environmental Sustainability

As Australia’s leading legal referral service, LOCATE A LAWYER® strives to operate as an environmentally accountable organisation by:

  • Minimising our impact on the environment;
  • Working with our clients, affiliates, associates and business partners to increase the utilisation of green technology;
  • Collaborating with and supporting the sustainability efforts of our affiliates, associates and business partners.

LOCATE A LAWYER® manages its operations and business activities so as to minimise its impact on the environment and the communities in which we operate. As a corporate citizen, we do our best to continuously improve our environmental management efforts, which we recognise can only be achieved through regular monitoring of our performance against stewardship objectives.

With environmental accountability focus, we identify and proactively address risks of pollution arising from our activities and services in order to effectively control and reduce our carbon footprint. In so doing, we continuously work in reducing waste to the lowest possible level and in ensuring responsible disposal.

We advocate employee involvement in environmental matters, providing suitable training and support to employees with regard to our stewardship.

We continue to inform others of our environmental commitments, including organisations and stakeholders with whom we associate and affiliate. We undertake an annual review of this commitment in the light of any new knowledge, changing legislation or public concerns, so as to continuously improve our environmental accountability focus.

The People at LOCATE A LAWYER®

Workplace of Choice

LOCATE A LAWYER® is a company where our success is driven by our exceptional people and through our strong values. Without them, we would be just another business. It is the people who work here – combined with the culture that we create together – that makes LOCATE A LAWYER® stand out from the rest.

Workforce Diversity

LOCATE A LAWYER® views diversity as one of our primary competitive advantages. We believe that diversity is required to sustain the performance and continued success of LOCATE A LAWYER®. We provide the tools that each person needs to be successful here. To help ensure a strong and diverse workforce, we offer programs and benefits that support the success of employees and associates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Safety and Wellness

It is the policy of LOCATE A LAWYER® to provide all our employees and associates with a safe workplace environment, and to conduct business in a manner that promotes safety and provides protection from workplace hazards. This includes tools and processes of risk management that our employees and associates can follow through use of safety manuals and audits.

Our focus on health and wellness can also be seen in our Wellness Guide with tips and tools for preventive care. Additionally, our employees and associates have access to a health coach, who assists in getting the most out of healthcare benefits, finding the right doctor, resolving a health claim issue, and implementing lifestyle changes for a better work-life balance.

Code of Conduct

Our Vision, Mission and Values speak to our business standards for ethical, honest and legal practices. We are accountable to demonstrate these values that are also outlined in our Code of Conduct and Corporate Governance Policies.

Social Responsibility at LOCATE A LAWYER®

Corporate social responsibility is a commitment that we all share at LOCATE A LAWYER®, since Australia is not just where we do business – it’s where we live, play and raise our families. In so doing, our corporate social responsibility involves practising our corporate commitment to be socially responsible in three key areas:

  • Our Environment: To lead as an environmentally accountable corporation working with clients, affiliates, associates and business partners to minimise our impact on the environment.
  • Our Communities: To be a positive influence in the communities in which we work and live.
  • Our Workplace: To maintain a professionally challenging, rewarding, respectful and safe workplace for all LOCATE A LAWYER® employees, associates, affiliates and business partners.

As individual and corporate members of the global community, we strive to keep these commitments, doing what is right, best, and fair and equitable for our communities, employees, associates, affiliates and business partners, while maintaining a strong and viable business.

From the Team at LOCATE A LAWYER®

"At LOCATE A LAWYER®, we remain steadfastly committed to the incorporation of social responsibility into the fabric of our business. As such, as we experience amelioration in our understanding of the impacts that we make, we will take responsible actions to attenuate the negative aspects and enhance the positive, seeking to make a difference in Australia.

"We are fully aware that our stewardship approach, both organic and structural, is reflected in the personal and corporate actions that we take today and has a measurable impact on the quality of life for generations to come.

"Join us as we take this step for a more sustainable future."

The Team at LOCATE A LAWYER®

Disclosure of Legal Referral Fees

However, in most if not all cases, we do receive a referral fee from the lawyer, solicitor or mediator to whom we have referred your matter. Although now repealed, Rule 32 the Legal Profession (Solicitors) Rules 2007 (Qld) provided a framework within which referral fees could be provided, as follows:

Legal Profession (Solicitors) Rules 2007 (Qld) – Repealed
Rule 32 – Referral fees
32. Referral fees
32.1 In the conduct or promotion of a solicitor’s practice, the solicitor must not:
32.1.1 accept a retainer to provide legal services to a person, who has been introduced or referred to the solicitor by a third party to whom the solicitor has given or offered to provide a fee, benefit or reward for the referral of clients or potential clients, unless the solicitor has first disclosed to the person referred the solicitor’s arrangement with the third party; or
32.1.1.2 seek a retainer for the provision of legal services in a manner likely to oppress or harass a person who, by reason of some recent trauma or injury, or other circumstances, is, or might reasonably be expected to be, at a significant disadvantage in dealing with the solicitor at the time when the retainer is sought.
32.2 A solicitor must not act for a client in any dealing with a third party from whom the solicitor may receive, directly or indirectly, any fee, benefit or reward in respect of that dealing unless:
32.1.1 the solicitor is able to advise and, in fact, advises the client free of any constraint or influence which might be imposed on the solicitor by the third party;
32.1.2 the solicitor’s advice is fair and free of any bias caused by the solicitor’s relationship with the third party; and
32.1.3 the nature and value of any fee, benefit, or reward, which may be received by the solicitor, are:
a. fair and reasonable, having regard to objective commercial standards; and
b. are disclosed fully in writing to the client before the dealing is commenced.

Since the repeal of the Legal Profession (Solicitors) Rules 2007 (Qld), referral fees for solicitors have been governed by the Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules 2012 (Cth).

Generally, a solicitor has fundamental duties to the administration of justice (pursuant to Rule 3), to act in the best interests of the client (pursuant to Rule 4.1.1), and to act with integrity and professional independence (pursuant to Rule 4.1.4).

More specifically, Rule 12.1 provides that a solicitor has the obligation to a client to not permit the solicitor’s own personal interest to conflict with the solicitor’s obligation to act in the best interest of the client in matters in which the solicitor represents the client.

Australian Solicitors Conduct Rules 2012 (Cth)
Rule 12 – Conflict concerning a solicitor’s own interests
12. Conflict concerning a solicitor’s own interests
12.1 A solicitor must not act for a client where there is a conflict between the duty to serve the best interests of a client and the interests of the solicitor or an associate of the solicitor, except as permitted by this Rule.
12.2 A solicitor must not exercise any undue influence intended to dispose the client to benefit the solicitor in excess of the solicitor’s fair remuneration for legal services provided to the client.
12.3 A solicitor must not borrow any money, nor assist an associate to borrow money, from:
12.3.1 a client of the solicitor or of the solicitor’s law practice; or
12.3.2 a former client of the solicitor or of the solicitor’s law practice who has indicated a continuing reliance upon the advice of the solicitor or of the solicitor’s law practice in relation to the investment of money, UNLESS the client is:
i. an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution;
ii. a trustee company;
iii. the responsible entity of a managed investment scheme registered under Chapter 5C of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or a custodian for such a scheme;
iv. an associate of the solicitor and the solicitor is able to discharge the onus of proving that a full written disclosure was made to the client and that the client’s interests are protected in the circumstances, whether by legal representation or otherwise; or
v. the employer of the solicitor.
12.4 A solicitor will not have breached this Rule merely by:
12.4.1 drawing a Will appointing the solicitor or an associate of the solicitor as executor, provided the solicitor informs the client in writing before the client signs the Will:
i. of any entitlement of the solicitor, or the solicitor’s law practice or associate, to claim executor’s commission;
ii. of the inclusion in the Will of any provision entitling the solicitor, or the solicitor’s law practice or associate, to charge legal costs in relation to the administration of the estate; and
iii. if the solicitor or the solicitor’s law practice or associate has an entitlement to claim commission, that the client could appoint as executor a person who might make no claim for executor’s commission.
12.4.2 drawing a Will or other instrument under which the solicitor (or the solicitor’s law practice or associate) will or may receive a substantial benefit other than any proper entitlement to executor’s commission and proper fees, provided the person instructing the solicitor is either:
i. a member of the solicitor’s immediate family; or
ii. a solicitor, or a member of the immediate family of a solicitor, who is a partner, employer, or employee, of the solicitor.
12.4.3 receiving a financial benefit from a third party in relation to any dealing where the solicitor represents a client, or from another service provider to whom a client has been referred by the solicitor, provided that the solicitor advises the client:
i. that a commission or benefit is or may be payable to the solicitor in respect of the dealing or referral and the nature of that commission or benefit;
ii. that the client may refuse any referral, and the client has given informed consent to the commission or benefit received or which may be received.
12.4.4 acting for a client in any dealing in which a financial benefit may be payable to a third party for referring the client, provided that the solicitor has first disclosed the payment or financial benefit to the client.

Furthermore, there is legislation that enshrine requirements on solicitors to make disclosure to clients of any referral fees.

To the extent required, if any, we provide this information herein as notice to you of the legal referral fees that we receive from the lawyer, solicitor or mediator.

Furthermore, and in addition to the disclosure in relation to legal referral fees that LOCATE A LAWYER® provides herein to you, we require that the lawyer, solicitor, or mediator makes full and frank disclosure in writing to you as their client of all information known to the lawyer, solicitor or mediator that you should know in relation to legal referral fees paid to us. This is so that you may provide informed consent before you formally engage the lawyer, solicitor or mediator through a retainer, in order to avoid any conflict of interest. This includes disclosure in writing to you of the following:

  • that a financial benefit was given to us for the referral;
  • the amount or monetary value of the financial benefit that was given;
  • the nature of the financial benefit that was given (such as cross-referral of other business, discounted payments or rebate, success fees, or even a shareholding or financial interest in the third party);
  • the terms and nature of the referral arrangement, as detailed herein;
  • any potential disadvantage to you by reason of the referral;
  • that you may refuse to enter into the retainer with the lawyer, solicitor or mediator and instead engage another provider of the same services if you wish;
  • that the financial benefit will not be recovered from you;
  • that we will not influence the nature, style and extent of the representation;
  • that client confidences will be preserved, or if applicable the extent to which confidential information may be disclosed to us;
  • what will happen if a conflict arises during the representation (such as the need to terminate the engagement due to the conflict and the additional costs a client may incur from such termination); and
  • that you may need to receive independent advice before any formal engagement of the lawyer, solicitor or mediator.

Please note that we do not and cannot control the extent, if any, that the lawyer, solicitor or mediator makes disclosure of the legal referral fee to you. Therefore, should the lawyer, solicitor or mediator fail to provide this disclosure to you or provides inadequate disclosure to you, we are not in any way responsible.

Importantly, LOCATE A LAWYER® does not provide any services relating to personal injury law. If your matter relates to a personal injury claim, then you must not use this service. This is because we do not in any way advertise or solicit a potential claimant to make a claim for compensation or damages for personal injury, as this is prohibited by the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld) and other corresponding legislation in other states and territories.