Our Big Idea
To Be Australia’s Most
Loed Law Firm
Our Big Idea
To Be Australia’s Most
Loed Law Firm
Our Big Idea
To Be Australia’s Most
Loed Law Firm
Vision
To be Australia’s most loved law firm, with caring, friendly, skilled lawyers who strive for excellence and seek to forge long-term bonds with every client.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide family and property legal services that help clients through complex and stressful circumstances. We strive to give straightforward legal support that resolves conflict, reduces stress and reinforces cost efficiency.
We aim to make the legal experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. Through positive and productive interactions with our clients, we seek to change any negative perceptions of lawyers.
Vision
To be Australia’s most loved law firm, with caring, friendly, skilled lawyers who strive for excellence and seek to forge long-term bonds with every client.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide family and property legal services that help clients through complex and stressful circumstances. We strive to give straightforward legal support that resolves conflict, reduces stress and reinforces cost efficiency.
We aim to make the legal experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. Through positive and productive interactions with our clients, we seek to change any negative perceptions of lawyers.
Vision
To be Australia’s most loved law firm, with caring, friendly, skilled lawyers who strive for excellence and seek to forge long-term bonds with every client.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide family and property legal services that help clients through complex and stressful circumstances. We strive to give straightforward legal support that resolves conflict, reduces stress and reinforces cost efficiency.
We aim to make the legal experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. Through positive and productive interactions with our clients, we seek to change any negative perceptions of lawyers.
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Honesty
We’ll tell our clients how we can help, provide cost estimates and be candid about their chances of success. We won’t sugar-coat our legal advice, and we’ll always put our clients first.
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Empathy
We’ll put ourselves in our clients’ shoes to understand their situation, motivation, and wishes. We’ll always show our support through care, concern, and active listening.
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Integrity
Earning the trust of our clients is paramount. Therefore, we will act honestly, uphold professional standards and maintain open and transparent communication with our clients. We will work in our clients’ best interests, and we acknowledge that integrity is a cornerstone of our ethical obligations.
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Respect
We will treat others with courtesy, compassion and kindness, and acknowledge the right to differing opinions, beliefs, wishes and rights. We will actively listen to our clients. We understand that respect between co-workers is fundamental for effective working relationships.
We are Unified Lawyers. With niche service areas in family law, property, and
conveyancing, we help our clients navigate the often difficult waters of divorce, property matters, financial
arrangements and children’s issues. Specialist capability, credibility
and compassion are the hallmarks of our client services.
We believe in HONESTY
What we mean
- We’ll tell our clients how we can help
- We’ll give our clients an upfront cost estimate
- We’ll give our clients an assessment of their chance of success
- We’ll tell our clients if their legal issue is out side our expertise
What we don’t mean
- Telling clients something because we think it’s what they want to hear
- Sugar-coating our client’s chances of success
- Being vague about our costs
How does ‘HONESTY’ sound?
We’ll be direct when discussing legal issues with our clients, but we will do it with empathy and care. We will listen to their wishes with respect and understanding and do our best to achieve those wishes. However, we’ll also give our honest advice, even if we know it’s not what they want to hear. We’ll always put our clients first: their best interests, their financial position, their responsibilities. If a client’s legal issue is beyond our expertise, we will do our best to refer them to another excellent lawyer.
Tips
- Don’t give unrealistic expectations
- Find out the client’s goals
- Analyse potential costs and communicate them
- Maintain open communication
- Refer when the work is outside your expertise
What we mean
- We’ll tell our clients how we can help
- We’ll give our clients an upfront cost estimate
- We’ll give our clients an assessment of their chance of success
- We’ll tell our clients if their legal issue is out side our expertise
What we don’t mean
- Telling clients something because we think it’s what they want to hear
- Sugar-coating our client’s chances of success
- Being vague about our costs
How does ‘HONESTY’ sound?
We’ll be direct when discussing legal issues with our clients, but we will do it with empathy and care. We will listen to their wishes with respect and understanding and do our best to achieve those wishes. However, we’ll also give our honest advice, even if we know it’s not what they want to hear. We’ll always put our clients first: their best interests, their financial position, their responsibilities. If a client’s legal issue is beyond our expertise, we will do our best to refer them to another excellent lawyer.
Tips
- Don’t give unrealistic expectations
- Find out the client’s goals
- Analyse potential costs and communicate them
- Maintain open communication
- Refer when the work is outside your expertise
What we mean
- We’ll tell our clients how we can help
- We’ll give our clients an upfront cost estimate
- We’ll give our clients an assessment of their chance of success
- We’ll tell our clients if their legal issue is out side our expertise
What we don’t mean
- Telling clients something because we think it’s what they want to hear
- Sugar-coating our client’s chances of success
- Being vague about our costs
How does ‘HONESTY’ sound?
We’ll be direct when discussing legal issues with our clients, but we will do it with empathy and care. We will listen to their wishes with respect and understanding and do our best to achieve those wishes. However, we’ll also give our honest advice, even if we know it’s not what they want to hear. We’ll always put our clients first: their best interests, their financial position, their responsibilities. If a client’s legal issue is beyond our expertise, we will do our best to refer them to another excellent lawyer.
Tips
- Don’t give unrealistic expectations
- Find out the client’s goals
- Analyse potential costs and communicate them
- Maintain open communication
- Refer when the work is outside your expertise
We believe in INTEGRITY
What we mean
- We’ll provide a professional and value-driven service to all our clients
- If we’re unable to provide legal services due to conflict or some other issue, we will do our best to refer clients to another excellent lawyer
- We’ll uphold our firm’s values
- We’ll act in an honest, diligent manner to earn the trust of our clients
- We’ll uphold our professional standards and behave with decency
- We will maintain open and clear communication with our clients
What we don’t mean
- Allowing the emotional circumstances of the situation to cloud our profession al advice
- Behaving in a manner that causes mistrust of us, our advice, or our judgment
- Failing to adhere to our firm’s values
- Failing to adhere to our professional standards
- Failing to communicate appropriately with our client
- Otherwise behaving in ways that may be perceived as dishonest, untrustworthy, unethical, unprofessional, or underhanded
How does ‘INTEGRITY’ sound?
We understand that the integrity of lawyers is a critical aspect of legal practice and a cornerstone of our ethical obligations. We know that we must make decisions and provide advice in a level-headed, objective manner. It’s especially vital for clients who find themselves dealing with deeply emotional and stressful family law issues.
Maintaining ongoing communication is essential and one of the most important things we can do to help our clients. Our firm’s values and professional standards are the most important tools to guide our behaviour and inform our client services.
Tips
- Explain all legal terms to clients in straightforward, jargon-free language
- Be clear about processes and procedures. Explain to clients patiently and several times, if necessary
- Avoid becoming emotionally involved in the issue, but acknowledge and respect the client’s stressors
- If you tell the client that you’re going to do something, make sure you do it
- Understand all your obligations under the Professional Standards Scheme NSW
We believe in EMPATHY
What we mean
- We’ll actively listen to our clients’ issues and desired outcomes
- We’ll ask questions to understand our clients’ circumstances
- We’ll remain objective without being judgmental
- We’ll try to imagine ourselves in the clients’ situation
- We’ll act with care and concern and find ways to support our clients
What we don’t mean
- Thinking we know best without hearing the full story or fully appreciating our clients’ circumstances
- Criticising our clients’ situations or actions
- Failing to consider the situation from the clients’ point of view
- Failing to consider the clients’ wishes or to act according to the clients’ instructions
How does ‘EMPATHY’ sound?
Actively listening to our clients, especially in our first meeting, is critical to establishing an excellent relationship, good communication and long-term satisfaction. It’s also important to refrain from expressing judgment about the client’s actions or inaction. For example, “You shouldn’t have done that.” Instead, we will focus on what the client can do next. Importantly, we will understand that the client has sought legal help because they’re at one of the lowest points of their lives. Therefore, we must show compassion and identify positive steps to lead them to a better life.
Tips:
- Allow the client to tell their story with minimal interruptions
- Verbally summarise the story to the client
- Ask the client what they would like to achieve
- Ask questions
- Maintain eye contact
- Minimise any distractions
- Observe the person’s body language
- If you’re uncertain about something, ask for the client’s clarification
- When you’ve finished asking questions, point out any issues to the client and discuss how to overcome them
We believe in RESPECT
What we mean
- Treat others the way we would want to be treated – with courtesy and kindness
- Acknowledge different opinions, wishes and rights
- Accept that clients may have beliefs and wishes that you may not agree with or understand
- Value clients’ opinions
- Value the contributions of your colleagues
What we don’t mean
- Talking over, belittling or harshly criticising others
- Treating others without courtesy, kindness or compassion
- Believing that your opinions and wishes are the only ones that count
- Ignoring clients’ opinions
- Disregarding the contributions of your clients
How does ‘RESPECT’ sound?
Like empathy, we can show respect through actively listening to our clients. But respect also means valuing different opinions, both of clients and colleagues. It’s possible to have differing opinions without being disrespectful; to talk through points of view without arguing; to accept a person’s wishes without agreeing with them. We need to understand that not every client will take our advice. Not every colleague will accept a differing opinion. Everyone deserves courtesy, compassion and kindness – the foundations of respect. Respect between co-workers is a vital building block for effective working relationships, and respect for clients underpins client satisfaction.
Tips
- Be polite
- Encourage others to express their opinions
- Practice active listening
- Check your body language and tone of voice
- Acknowledge other people’s ideas and successes
- Treat everyone fairly
- Be mindful of anti-discrimination laws
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Everyone is welcome. We’re an inclusive group, proud of the sense of belonging we infuse. Diversity brings us together to learn and grow. Every individual is respected, supported, and appreciated for their unique contribution, diverse talents, and being themselves.
Diversity and inclusion are vital to the success of Unified Lawyers. We work with people from all backgrounds, beliefs and experiences. We believe everyone should have the freedom to be themselves and be valued for their differences.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the nation’s first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Everyone is welcome. We’re an inclusive group, proud of the sense of belonging we infuse. Diversity brings us together to learn and grow. Every individual is respected, supported, and appreciated for their unique contribution, diverse talents, and being themselves.
Diversity and inclusion are vital to the success of Unified Lawyers. We work with people from all backgrounds, beliefs and experiences. We believe everyone should have the freedom to be themselves and be valued for their differences.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the nation’s first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Everyone is welcome. We’re an inclusive group, proud of the sense of belonging we infuse. Diversity brings us together to learn and grow. Every individual is respected, supported, and appreciated for their unique contribution, diverse talents, and being themselves.
Diversity and inclusion are vital to the success of Unified Lawyers. We work with people from all backgrounds, beliefs and experiences. We believe everyone should have the freedom to be themselves and be valued for their differences.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the nation’s first inhabitants and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.
