Subjects:

Legal Skills and Method

The Adviser's Toolkit: Giving Legal Advice is the first book designed to provide guidance on the core skills and processes of giving legal advice. It draws directly on the National Occupational Standards in Legal Advice and focuses on the skills and core elements of the foundation degree in advice-giving.

It is aimed at advisers undertaking these qualifications but will also be invaluable to those already in the advice-giving sector: as specialist or non-specialist advisers, pro bono advisers or even the experienced practitioner looking for a reference handbook to refresh and reassure. There are also many people outside of the legal field without any formal training who are nevertheless in the course of their jobs giving advice which is invaluable to their clients or customers.

The Adviser's Toolkit: Giving Legal Advice supports all of these advisers by providing guidance on the skills and processes of advice-giving against a background of the key areas of social welfare law. It clearly illustrates each topic through the use of case studies, flow charts, examples of letters and documents.

Contents include guidance on:-

• taking instructions, identifying needs and possible outcomes;
• dealing with different clients - issues of language, communication and vulnerability;
• interview skills;
• confidentiality, impartiality and independence;
• case management;
• negotiating and alternative dispute resolution;
• knowing your networks;
• how to do legal research - understanding case and statute law;
• funding for legal advice.

The Adviser's Toolkit: Giving Legal Advice is a highly practical resource for advisers working in both the voluntary and statutory sectors. It provides expert guidance from an experienced practitioner and adviser on the core advice-giving skills.