General Terms and Conditions of Service

About us

Cornwall Legal Centre CIC provides legal support and assistance to individuals and businesses who may experience difficulties accessing legal services. Our work is guided by a commitment to accessible justice, equality, diversity and fair treatment.

These General Terms and Conditions explain the basis on which we provide our services, the responsibilities of our clients and the standards of conduct we expect from everyone who engages with us. By instructing us or accepting our services, you agree to these terms, together with any separate written agreement or specific terms agreed with you. Where a separate written agreement contains terms that conflict with these general terms, the specific written agreement will take precedence to the extent of that conflict.

Scope of our services

The services we provide will depend on the nature of your matter and the agreement reached with you. We will explain, as far as reasonably practicable, the scope of our work, the assistance we can provide and any relevant limitations. Unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, our services do not include:

• Conducting litigation or acting as the solicitor, barrister or legal representative on the court record.
• Accepting formal service of court documents on your behalf.
• Monitoring court proceedings, court portals or court correspondence.
• Filing court documents or serving documents on other parties.
• Taking responsibility for court deadlines, hearing dates or procedural requirements.
• Undertaking work outside the scope of the services agreed with you.

You must not assume that we are undertaking any of these activities unless we have expressly confirmed this in writing and are able to do so.

Court proceedings and client responsibilities

You remain ultimately responsible for your own court proceedings and all associated deadlines. We do not go on the court record as your solicitor, barrister or legal representative, and we do not accept service of court documents on your behalf.

Where you are involved in court proceedings, you are responsible for ensuring that you:

• Know and comply with all applicable court deadlines and directions.
• File and serve documents within the required time limits.
• Attend hearings and comply with any hearing arrangements.
• Read and respond appropriately to correspondence from the court and other parties.
• Keep your contact details up to date with the court and other relevant parties.
• Obtain any additional legal advice or representation that your matter requires.

You must ensure that court documents are sent directly to you or to any legal representative formally instructed and authorised to receive them.

If we assist you with preparing a document, explaining a court direction or understanding a procedural requirement, this does not transfer responsibility for compliance to us.

We may discuss deadlines with you as part of our agreed work. However, unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing, we do not undertake to monitor those deadlines, remind you when action is required or ensure that documents are filed or served in time. You must never assume that a deadline has been extended, a document has been filed, or a court requirement has been satisfied unless you have independently confirmed this.

If you are unsure about a deadline or the steps required in your proceedings, you should seek clarification from the court or obtain appropriate legal advice without delay.

Fees and payment

Our fees and any applicable payment arrangements will be explained to you before or when our services are agreed. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all invoices must be paid in full within 30 days of the invoice date. If you anticipate difficulty paying an invoice, please contact us as soon as possible. We may, at our discretion, agree to an alternative payment arrangement in writing.

Late payment and debt recovery

If an invoice remains unpaid after 30 days, we reserve the right to charge an additional £50 administration fee to cover the administrative work associated with issuing payment reminders and pursuing the overdue invoice, where such a fee is legally recoverable.

We also reserve the right to seek recovery of any further reasonable debt recovery costs that we incur in pursuing the outstanding balance, on an indemnity basis, to the extent that those costs are legally recoverable. Payment of an invoice does not depend on the outcome of your legal matter unless we have expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

We reserve the right to suspend or discontinue further work in the event of non-payment, subject to any applicable legal or professional obligations and any reasonable steps necessary to avoid foreseeable prejudice to your position. We will not be responsible for taking steps outside the agreed scope of our services merely because an invoice remains unpaid.

Client cooperation and communication

We aim to provide a professional, respectful and accessible service. To enable us to assist you effectively, you are expected to:

• Provide accurate and complete information relevant to your matter.
• Tell us about important developments and any deadlines of which you are aware.
• Provide documents and information reasonably requested for the agreed work.
• Inform us of any changes to your contact details.
• Communicate with our staff respectfully and appropriately.

We recognise that legal matters can be stressful and that trauma, disability, neurodivergence and other circumstances may affect how a person communicates or processes information. We will seek to approach our clients with patience, understanding and respect. We also ask clients to respect the boundaries, wellbeing and dignity of our staff and volunteers.

Harassment, abuse and unacceptable behaviour

Cornwall Legal Centre CIC has a zero-tolerance approach to harassment, threats, intimidation and abusive behaviour towards our staff, volunteers, directors or representatives.

We will not accept conduct including, but not limited to:

• Threatening, intimidating or aggressive behaviour.
• Personal insults, abusive or degrading language.
• Harassment, bullying or discriminatory abuse.
• Unwanted conduct that is threatening, persistently intrusive or intended to intimidate.
• Deliberate misuse of our communication channels in a manner that prevents us from carrying out our work safely and effectively.

We understand that people may experience distress, frustration or heightened emotions when dealing with difficult legal matters. We will not automatically treat distress, disability-related communication differences or a legitimate expression of disagreement as misconduct. However, where behaviour crosses the boundaries of what our staff or volunteers can reasonably be expected to tolerate, we may take appropriate steps to protect their safety and wellbeing. Depending on the circumstances, this may include setting communication boundaries, restricting communication to specified channels, pausing work or bringing our involvement to an end.

Where we consider that we can no longer safely or appropriately provide our services, we may ask you to obtain support elsewhere. We will take account of any applicable legal obligations and, where appropriate, explain the steps you may need to take to avoid unnecessary prejudice to your position.

We will seek to act fairly and proportionately, taking account of relevant circumstances and any reasonable adjustments that may be required.

Equality, diversity and reasonable adjustments

We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessible justice.

We recognise that people may experience barriers to accessing legal services because of disability, neurodivergence, trauma, language, literacy, communication needs or other individual circumstances.

If you need information in a different format or require a reasonable adjustment, please ask us.

Depending on your needs and the circumstances, adjustments may include:

• Providing information in a different or more accessible format.
• Using plain English or explaining legal terminology.
• Allowing additional time to process information or respond.
• Adjusting communication methods or arrangements for appointments.
• Providing written confirmation of important information where appropriate.
• Making reasonable changes to how we communicate with you or deliver our services.

We will consider requests individually and work with you to identify appropriate adjustments. We will comply with our applicable legal duties, including those arising under the Equality Act 2010.

We may need to discuss your requirements with you to understand what would be effective and practicable. We will not refuse a request simply because you have not used particular terminology or formally identified yourself as disabled.

Information and documents provided by clients

You are responsible for ensuring that the information and documents you provide to us are, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete. You should tell us if information is uncertain, disputed or based on recollection rather than documentary evidence. Our ability to assist you may be affected by incomplete, inaccurate or late information. We cannot guarantee the outcome of a matter or the accuracy of work that depends on information that is materially incomplete or incorrect. We may ask you to clarify information or provide further documents before proceeding with particular work.

Confidentiality and data protection

We take the confidentiality and security of information entrusted to us seriously. We will handle personal information in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, our privacy notice and any other relevant legal obligations. We may use and share information where necessary and lawful for the provision of our services, the administration of our organisation, the protection of legal rights or compliance with legal obligations. Please refer to our website Privacy Notice for further information about how we collect, use, store and protect personal information, and about your data protection rights.

Complaints and concerns

If you are unhappy with our services, please contact us and explain your concerns. We will seek to understand the issue and respond appropriately. Raising a genuine complaint or expressing disagreement with our work will not, by itself, be treated as harassment or abuse. We ask that complaints are communicated respectfully so that we can consider them fairly and effectively.

Ending or suspending our services

We may suspend or end our involvement where, for example:

• Our agreed work has been completed.
• You ask us to stop acting or providing assistance.
• You fail to provide information reasonably required for the agreed work.
• Invoices remain unpaid and no alternative arrangement has been agreed.
• A conflict of interest or other circumstance prevents us from continuing.
• Your conduct towards our staff or volunteers makes continued involvement inappropriate or unsafe.
• We are otherwise unable to continue providing the agreed services lawfully or appropriately.

Where reasonably practicable, we will notify you of the decision and explain any relevant next steps. If we end our involvement, you remain responsible for your own proceedings, including all court deadlines, unless a different responsibility has been expressly and lawfully agreed in writing. You should promptly seek alternative assistance where necessary, particularly if you are involved in ongoing court proceedings or have an imminent deadline. Ending our involvement does not remove your obligation to pay fees properly due for work already undertaken or other sums lawfully payable under our agreement.

No guarantee of outcome

Legal matters can involve uncertainty, and outcomes may depend on the decisions of courts, tribunals, public authorities, opposing parties and other third parties. We do not guarantee that a particular outcome will be achieved. Litigation is always a risk. Any assessment, opinion or indication of prospects is based on the information available at the relevant time and may change if further information becomes available or circumstances change.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, working practices or legal requirements. The version applicable to your matter will be determined by the circumstances and any relevant agreement with you. We will not assume that a website update retrospectively changes an existing agreement where your consent or notification is legally required.

Applicable law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory legal protections or rules that apply to your particular circumstances. Nothing in these terms is intended to exclude or restrict any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

Contact us

If you have any questions about these terms, our services, payment arrangements or accessibility requirements, please contact Cornwall Legal Centre CIC using the contact details published on our website. We are committed to providing an accessible, respectful and professional service, and we welcome communication that helps us understand how we can support you effectively.