FAQ

Why should I work with TBA Law?

We understand that finding a lawyer can be scary, and we are a team of real people who will work with you to relieve your stress and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.

TBA Law and its staff have won a number of awards, including the NAB Firmchecker 2017 Professional Service Award for Victoria, and the 2019 Regional Lawyer of the Year.

There are about 22,000 lawyers in Victoria, but only about 80 of them have the Law Institute Wills and Estates accreditation as a specialist – and TBA Law is one of those 80!

What’s my legal matter going to cost me?

Most lawyers won’t give you a fixed fee quote, because they prefer to bill on an hourly rate. We think this is lazy and unethical on most standard legal matters.

This is why TBA Law offers fixed fee and different levels of service on most of our legal matters. That way, you will get an upfront quote, and you won’t get any nasty surprises like a blow out in your bill.

The last time I worked with a legal firm, I could never get in contact with my solicitor, and I didn’t know what was happening half the time. How are you any different?

In large firms, they often have so many matters and multiple people working on your file, that no one actually owns it! On the other hand, in tiny firms, they’re often so busy that they don’t have time for your extra phone calls and queries.

At TBA Law, we believe we have the Goldilocks-style “just right” size. All our staff members talk to each other regularly, as well as with the owner. While you may meet with the owner, another solicitor may then do the work on your file, and you will know who that solicitor is. You may also have a paralegal following up and doing some of the paperwork. So you will have at least two, or even three people who you can contact about your matter. That way, you are certain to get onto someone who can answer your question.

We also guarantee that we will respond to you by phone or email within 24 hours of your message.

Legal jargon makes me nervous, and I don’t want to feel like I don’t understand what you’re saying. Why do lawyers do that?

Many solicitors either like the superiority of using big language, or don’t know how to talk to normal people. TBA Law doesn’t like this about the legal industry.

While there is some importance about the use of language in formal documents, this is certainly not the way we talk. The staff at TBA Law all know how to interpret legal jargon so you understand, and we won’t hide behind legal jargon to make ourselves feel important. For us, the most important thing is that you understand what is happening and what we have to do for you, and what your choices are if you need to make a decision.

I need to know where my matter is up to, and I want to have some control over the progress of my matter. How can I be actively involved without seeming like I’m holding things up?

You’re right, that this can be a difficult balance. We also understand that the more control you can have of your own matter, and get us information in a timely manner, the less your legal fees can be. Many law firms don’t understand this, and they are either just reactive, or don’t keep people informed at all.

TBA Law has taken a fair amount of care and attention to understand the customer journey, and to be able to clearly communicate the process that you’re facing. Our staff make sure that you understand what is ahead, what the steps are, and what we need from you.

We guarantee that we will get back to you by phone or email within 24 hours of your query, and we also keep you updated throughout your matter.

If we need something from you, we will often ask you in writing, as well as verbally, so that what we need from you is clear.

If you can read our correspondence and emails, this will also help you to understand what stage we are up to and what we need from you.

I’m really busy. How do we work together without my having to come into your office?

TBA Law only operates during business hours, but we know that it’s hard for working people to make it into our office. You need to understand that in most legal matters these days, you don’t have to come into our office.

We can do most legal matters by email and phone. We can have Zoom appointments remotely, and in some situations, we can also come to you. TBA Law uses cloud software, so we can work remotely from any office or on your site if needed.

What should I bring to my initial appointment?

Every legal matter is different, or what you need to bring will differ. For most of our core legal services, we will send you an email prior to your appointment. This email will have some information for you, but it will often have a Checklist or Information sheet for you to complete and bring with you to your first appointment.

Often we don’t need you to bring everything to your first appointment. The first appointment will mainly be about talking with you, and gaining an understanding of what you need. If there is any information that we still need from you to proceed, we will ask you to get that to us by email after the appointment.

I don’t have much money. What are my options?

Access to justice is a very difficult issue, but TBA Law is a business so we do not do pro bono matters for individuals (only for local community organisations).

You may qualify for Legal Aid.

You may be able to get a half-hour free referral to a solicitor through the Law Institute of Victoria.

Your matter may be something that could be handled by the Dispute Resolution Centre of Victoria.

Consumer Affairs also deals with a number of types of disputes.

An ombudsman may also be able to assist you with a dispute. There are various different ombudsman set up for various industries, so just do a Google search to see if there is a relevant ombudsman for your issue.