THE LEGAL SYSTEM
opens once a week in the evening. Members of the public can make appointments to see the volunteer lawyers through one of the 120 referral agencies which include all District Offices, Caritas Services Centres and many other volunteer agencies.
Generally, clients can see a lawyer within 14 days. However, in genuinely urgent cases, early appointments can be arranged. There are approximately 350 lawyers (barristers, solicitors, government lawyers and in-house lawyers) on the Advice Lawyer Panel. Some 2 775 people are advised each year.
The Tel-law Scheme was introduced in March 1984. It provides taped legal information by telephone. Each taped message lasts 2.5 minutes and is available in both English and Chinese. There are over 60 tapes available. The main purpose of the service is to provide basic information on the legal aspects of everyday problems, and to encourage people who have such problems to use the Legal Advice Scheme. The tapes cover matrimonial, landlord and tenant, criminal, financial, employment and some administrative law. Tapes are added when a new subject is identified as being of interest to the public. During the year, Tel-law handled over 41 906 calls.
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