Before we are able to book you in for an appointment with a TEWLS lawyer, we need to know your full name and the full name of the person who is on the other side of your legal matter – this is usually the person, organisation, or government department that you’re having problems with. Like all legal services, TEWLS needs this information so that we can determine whether there are any conflicts of interest that would mean that we’re not able to give you legal advice.
When you call our office, you will talk to our administration team first. They will take down some basic details about what you’re going through to ensure that it is the type of legal problem that TEWLS can help with. They will then advise you that someone from our intake team will contact you as soon as possible (or, if they’re available, will transfer your call to a member of our intake team).
Where your legal problem falls outside TEWLS’ service area, or there is some other reason we won’t be able to help, our staff will direct you to another service that can help.
You will then receive a call from/speak with our intake staff. They will ask you some more questions about what you have experienced and what you are having difficulty with. This information is necessary to give the TEWLS lawyer some background on your legal problem before you have your first appointment together.
Our intake team will work with you to book you in for an appointment. Due to significant demand for our services, there may be a wait-time before an appointment is available. Where urgent legal advice is needed, we will try our best to facilitate an appointment as soon as possible or an appropriate referral where necessary.
Your first appointment is for your lawyer to listen to your story, provide advice tailored to your situation, and answer any specific questions that you have. We want you to be as comfortable as possible, so please let us know beforehand if there’s anything we can do to make the appointment better for you – we understand that meeting with a lawyer can be a big experience, with our team trained in trauma-informed and sensitive practice.
It is important to bring along any documents that are relevant to understanding your legal problem, such as like copies of parenting plans, courts documents or orders that you’re wishing to discuss.
It is free to get help from TEWLS and we don’t charge any fees for our assistance. We can also arrange interpreters in any language, including Auslan, at no cost to you.
TEWLS offers in-person, phone, and video appointments. Appointments range from 30 minutes to an hour.
As a small team, we are able to provide ongoing casework or legal representation only where there is hardship and/or some other barrier to accessing justice. When making this decision, TEWLS will take into consideration many different factors such as health and disability barriers, experiences of domestic, family and sexual violence, cultural and/or linguistic barriers, financial hardship, and homelessness, as well as TEWLS’ capacity to assist at that time.
If we are not able to provide ongoing assistance, we will provide you with other appropriate referrals for legal and support services, including private legal practitioners, in your local area.
Important
Any information you tell us throughout this process is confidential. We will not share your information outside our organisation without your consent, except in very limited circumstances where we are required by law (such as mandatory reporting laws).
TEWLS acknowledges that we work on Aboriginal land, including the lands of the Larrakia people, who are the traditional owners of the land where our office is located. We acknowledge the Larrakia people as the Traditional Owners of the Darwin region and pay deep respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are committed to a positive future for the Aboriginal community. Always was, always will be.
