Julie-Anne Kincade: NZ Law Association Vice President on the increase in complaints against lawyers

Lawyers say they can't pinpoint the reason there's been an increase in complaints. 

The Law Society's annual report reveals more clients are raising their concerns, particularly around incompetence.  

New Zealand Law Association Vice President Julie-Anne Kincade told Andrew Dickens with more people using AI to research their legal issues, they're needing to manage expectations. 

She welcomes clients doing their own research but it's important people remember lawyers are the experts. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's been an eleven percent spike and complaints to the
Law Society about lawyers over the past year. Most of
the thirteen hundred complaints relate to legal negligence or incompetence.
Eighty percent lead nowhere. So Juliannekincaid, is the vice president
of the Law Association, joins me. Now, Hello, Julienne, good morning.
So is the rise in complaints because of a rise

(00:21):
in bad lawyers or is this sore loser clients.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
I can't say why there's been a rising complaints, but
I would like to think that there would probably be
a variety of reasons there are. There's a wide spectrum
of things that people can complain about. Obviously, it goes
from an extreme end of very bad behavior of misconduct
which we cannot tolerate within the profession, through a lot

(00:49):
of things like bad communications or billing issues, and through
right through to the other end of the spectrum, which
is a vexatious litigant client clients who will complain about
every lawyers. Yes, yes, it's a broad spectrum.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Yeah. The Law Society says people are more educated on
the lawd to to check gput and AI and that
leads to clashes. So are we more educated or do
we just think we are.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Look, I think that managing expectations is always part of
a lawyer's job. And I can remember even a long
time ago, I'm a criminal lawyer in England where people
would particularly in prison, would talk to each other and
perhaps read up on the law and then come to
us and say, look, I think this, and we have
to have those conversations, and we shouldn't mind that. I

(01:41):
actually welcome a client who's engaged in doing their own research.
But of course we are the experts a little bit
like if you go to the doctor and you're going
to look up your symptoms before you go. When you
go to the doctor and say I think it's this,
the doctor will then be able to tell you because
they're trained and experienced.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
So how do you make sure the way you've got
is the right lawyer for you and a good one.
I mean, is there a rate my teacher dot com
for lawyers? Is there some way you can get advice?
How do you choose a lawyer?

Speaker 2 (02:10):
I think, personally, and this is just my personal view,
that Doyle's Guide is a good way to start, because
that is a one of those databases which is actually
other lawyers saying who's a good lawyer. I think that's
the closest thing I can think about in that area.
Of course, we all google everybody nowadays and you can

(02:31):
look up and see maybe if they've done other cases,
what have they been in the papers. But not all
of our work is published. A lot of what we
do is obviously very confidential, and that's quite right. So
asking around is always the best way. If you know
people that have been through similar experiences, it's always a
good way of doing.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Ju and Concaid King's Counsel thank you so much for
your time today and all your advice. But for more
Familily edition with Iron Bridge.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
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Speaker 1 (03:02):
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