Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions2018-12-13T23:04:37+13:00
Who is ELINZ and what are you doing?2018-12-10T07:39:14+13:00

ELINZ is a group of employment law practitioners (lawyers and advocates) who are working together to improve the quality of employment law services provided to the public (employers and employees) and to support our members to be the best they can be.

One of our key goals is to work with our government to become the regulating body for employment law advocates in New Zealand.  We believe this will improve the overall quality of services provided by our members to members of the public, which will have flow-on benefits for public confidence and for the industry as a whole.

What’s the difference between an employment lawyer and an employment advocate?2019-01-14T11:30:38+13:00

An employment lawyer is someone who has a tertiary law degree (undergraduate or higher) and who is a current practising lawyer (i.e. they also have a current practising certificate from the New Zealand Law Society).  Many of our advocates also have law degrees and have worked as lawyers.  Some of our advocates have many years’ experience in HR / employment law sectors.  Some of our advocates are also qualified mediators. For more information about mediators and private mediation, please click https://www.aminz.org.nz/ or https://www.resolution.institute/.

Why should I hire a member of ELINZ?2019-03-27T09:24:46+13:00

Who you hire to advise you on employment law matters is entirely up to you.  And whether you hire a lawyer or an advocate is also up to you.  But the benefits of hiring a lawyer or advocate who is a member of ELINZ over and above a lawyer or advocate who is not, is that members of ELINZ are bound by our Code of Conduct and subject to our disciplinary procedures.  This gives you some assurance that the service you receive from one of our members will be of a high standard, and will be prompt, professional, and will represent value for money.  Members who fail to comply with our Code of Conduct face disciplinary procedures up to and including expulsion from the Institute.

Unfortunately, as in any industry, there are cowboys out there.  Here at ELINZ, we are doing our best to ensure our members are top notch and to ensure that the public is protected from unscrupulous practitioners.

How do I contact an advocate who is a member of ELINZ?2019-03-27T09:23:38+13:00

Just go to our ‘Our Members’ page and have a look at our members in your area. You will see each member has their contact details, so get in touch with them and talk to them about your needs.

Can I get legal aid?2018-12-10T07:39:14+13:00

That’s not a question we can answer, but you can certainly apply for legal aid.  Many of our members provide legal aid services.  Just go to the ‘Our Members‘ page and have a look at our members in your area.  You will see that any member in your area who provides legal aid is clearly identified as a legal aid provider.

What if I can’t even afford an ELINZ member on legal aid?2018-12-10T07:38:07+13:00

Many of our members try really hard to be flexible with payment options (e.g. set fees, contingency fees/No Win No Fee etc).  If you genuinely can’t afford to pay for advice or representation, you might be able to get some help from your local community law centre or CAB.  Further information can be found here:

http://communitylaw.org.nz/

http://www.cab.org.nz/Pages/home.aspx

Be aware that some limitations (e.g. income testing, time limits on advice, inability to represent you formally) may apply.

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