WORDS: NARDINE COLLIER
COLLIER FAMILY LAW
Five years ago, my relationship ended. It was the end of the life I had imagined, and all the dreams and the plans for the future were gone. Financially, starting all over again was hard. Watching my children lose the innocence of childhood was harder. It all worked out in the end, but that first year after separation was tough.
Why am I telling you this? It’s so that when you hear me say, “I know what you’re going through,” you will know that I actually do! After more than 25 years in legal practice, many hours of thought has been spent identifying and learning what is really important to my clients. I believe it always comes down to two things.
The first is the EXPENSE. What is it going to cost? In my mind, the most important concern for a client is affordability. For years now, I have seen the numbers of self-represented litigants increase.
There is a huge gap between those who qualify for legal aid and those who can comfortably afford lawyer’s fees. This ever-growing ‘in-between’ group who, when asked to deposit $10 000 into their lawyer’s trust account, simply cannot do so. However, they also don’t qualify for legal aid, leaving no option but to represent themselves. Sadly, I predict this will increase with the economic fallout surrounding COVID-19.
For years now, Collier Family Lawyers have been all about affordability. This isn’t to say we are cheap. Rather, it is about ways to manage fees that makes it achievable for the average person. For example, being able to pay in instalments like you do with Zip or Afterpay. To only have to pay for a stage of work, because who knows what might happen? To be able to do whatever you can do yourself, to reduce your fees, and have some control over your file. I have offered this fee structure for many years.
You, the client, deserve to be able to achieve the best outcome possible, without spending your life savings. There is no compromise on the experience or quality of service you will receive from me, as a Family lawyer of 25 years and an accredited family law specialist. Price shouldn’t exclude you from that experience.
Secondly, there is OUTCOME. What is going to happen? How long will it take? What can I expect? Many clients tell me that even after the first appointment they feel better about their situation. We prepare an action plan and a “To Do” list for the client to minimise fees. We make sense of what can be a very confusing time. We also offer a DIY service to those who are self-represented, where we check your paperwork and give you tips about how to appear in court. Prior to our first appointment, we will have a no-cost, no-obligation chat. You need to feel assured that you’re in good hands and know what the likely fees will be.
What you can expect from us is that we aim to have a case resolved in the least amount of time, with the best possible result; wherever possible, we try to settle our cases out of court.
If you feel that it’s time to make some sense of a stressful situation, I’d love to hear from you. Head to www.collierlawyers.com.au to choose an appointment time that suits you.
