Common Questions

It is always a good idea to speak to lawyer before you are spoken to by the police. If you haven’t yet been charged, Lynn can assist you once the police have made it known you are a person of interest to them. You should get legal advice before the police speak to you. The earlier you can contact her for advice, the better.

When you are appearing in court, you will want an experienced lawyer to represent you to make sure you get the best possible outcome in your case. If you engage Lynn, she will work with you and keep you updated at every stage so you understand what is happening with your case.

 Our "Services" page has a list of the sorts of cases that Lynn specialises in. If you are not sure exactly what type of help you need, contact Lynn and talk to her about your situation. If she can’t help, she will try to put you in touch with someone that can. 

Needing legal advice isn’t something that just happens during business hours, so you can reach Lynn at any time. 

If you are at the police station for questioning, you should call Lynn for advice before speaking to the police or giving a statement.

Legal Aid is 'means tested' so whether you can get it will depend on how much you earn and what assets you own. In most criminal cases you can only get Legal Aid after you have been charged with a crime. Legal Aid can also be available for parole hearings.

For most people who are eligible for Legal Aid, there is no fee to pay as Legal Aid pays for your lawyer. In some situations you will need to pay a contribution to your case; that money goes to Legal Aid Services towards the cost of your case, not to your lawyer.

When you meet with Lynn, she can discuss Legal Aid with you and help you to fill out the required forms.

Further information on legal aid is on the Ministry of Justice website www.justice.govt.nz

If you are charged with more serious criminal offending, anything that has a maximum penalty of 14 years or more,  you can choose Lynn as your ‘preferred lawyer’ for Legal Aid cases. You need to write her name on the Legal Aid form or she can help you to compete the forms. Lynn is approved as a PAL 4 Legal Aid lawyer, so she can undertake the full range of criminal Legal Aid cases. 

For parole cases, you can request her as your Legal Aid lawyer. For some other cases, you can still ask Legal Aid to have a lawyer of your choice but this is not automatic. Contact Lynn to talk about if your case falls into that group.

Yes, Lynn does take private instructions. As Lynn is a Barrister, she needs to be instructed via an ‘instructing solicitor’. When you contact Lynn she will explain this process to you and assist you with an instructing solicitor. 

If you are granted Legal Aid, Lynn bills the Legal Services Agency - she does not charge you.

In private cases, Lynn will discuss her hourly rates and fees up front with you; this will be a clear process with regular invoicing so there are no surprises at the end of your case. She will go over her fees with you when you meet her.

If you have a family member that needs some help, you can initially contact Lynn on their behalf. However, Lynn will need to speak directly to your family member to confirm the situation they are in and discuss their options. 

Lynn will sometimes work with other professionals on your case; each case is different. She has a wide range of experts that can be called on if your case requires it such as private investigators, financial experts, crash investigators, forensic scientists and medical specialists.

If you need assistance with accessing rehabilitation services, such as alcohol, drug or psychological counselling, Lynn has experience with a network of professionals and organisations that she can refer you to. Undertaking this type of rehabilitation can have a positive impact on your case outcome at court.

Lynn is experienced in working with clients who don’t have English as their preferred language. Lynn has represented clients from a wide range of cultures; if you need an interpreter for meetings, she can arrange that. Lynn can also request there is an interpreter at court for your court appearances. 

Lynn is based in Auckland and regularly appears in courts across Auckland, from Pukekohe to the North Shore. She is also available to travel to other locations.