Fife Law Centre is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland with company number SC344207.  Its registered office address is Unit 27, Crosshill Business Centre, Main Street, Crosshill, Fife KY5 8BJ.  It is a Scottish Charity with charity number SC039780.

Legal work is undertaken by the independent legal firm Fife Community Law Ltd (company number SC365122).  The Principal Solicitor, Afshan Rathore, carries out business at Crosshill Business Centre, Main Street, Crosshill, Fife under the name of 'Fife Law Centre'.

Contact Information

We have two main offices:

(1)  Crosshill Business Centre: Units 27 & 33, Main Street, Crosshill, KY5 8BJ and at

(2)  Our Space at Adam Smith College: Levenmouth Campus, Leven, KY8 4EU.

We also run legal surgeries from the offices of partnering organisations from time to time. Details of this outreach service can be obtained from our Crosshill office.

We can be contacted on telephone number: 01592 860503 or by fax on fax number: 01592 860493. If our telephones are on answering machine please leave your name and contact number and we will phone you back.

Opening Hours

We are normally open from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday. The offices will be closed during most public holidays and in particular on 24^th, 25^th, 26^th, 27^th December and 1^st and 2^nd January.

Scope of our Services

We cannot undertake certain types of legal work, including, criminal law, conveyancing and divorce. We also cannot undertake legal work which is not deemed to be an “unmet legal need”. The Principal Solicitor shall have discretion as to what areas of the law are deemed to fall under “unmet legal need”. However, we may able to provide a list of local law firms which could assist you in such matters. Where you require non legal advice in a particular area, we may also be able to point you in the direction of the appropriate local agency providing advice in that particular area.

Cost of our Services

We will not charge fees for our services but where it is feasible we could apply for Legal Aid to cover the cost of any legal assistance/advice. The Centre cannot meet any legal costs, which may be outwith the scope of civil legal advice and assistance/legal aid such as court fees. If you do not qualify for Legal Aid, you will not be charged for our work but other arrangements may have to be made to cover the cost of reports etc. where needed. If you apply for Legal Aid to assist with court representation and are liable to pay a contribution to the Scottish Legal Aid Board then that will be required to be paid by you. Any arrangements for payment will have to be made by you directly with the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Liability

If acting for a group of people we must receive the written authority of the whole group confirming that we can accept instructions from one named person on their behalf. If acting for a group of people the person giving us instructions is responsible to inform us of the true position of the group. The person who gives us instructions is responsible where we are acting for more than one person. Where each person instructs us, each will be equally responsible.

Confidentiality

In accordance with Para 5 of the Schedule to the Solicitors (Scotland) (Standards of Conduct) Practice Rules 2008 all information provided to us shall remain confidential and will not be disclosed without your permission, unless required by law.

Conflict of Interest

Generally we cannot act for two or more clients where there is a probable or possible conflict of interest. You must notify us of any potential conflicts at the start of our dealings and we will advise you if we can continue to work for you. If we already act for one of the people concerned, preference will be given to their case.

Data Protection Act

We will handle and protect your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Copyright and Third Party

All copyright of our documents is reserved to us and so any advice or documents must not be given to third parties without our consent.

Legal Aid

Where Legal Aid is available we will explain your eligibility and assist you in completing the forms. It is very important that you fully co-operate with your solicitor and the Scottish Legal Aid Board in following through a Legal Aid application.

Expenses in Court Action

If you qualify for Legal Aid to cover court expenses you may not be held fully responsible for the other side’s expenses if you lose the court case.

Where Legal Aid is not available you may either be required to pay court expenses or authorised to recover part of your own expenses from your opponent. This will be more fully explained to you prior to the raising or defending of a court action.

Concerns – If You Are Unhappy

If you are unhappy with our service you should take this up with our Principal Solicitor by sending a brief note of your concerns in writing. Our Principal Solicitor will ensure your complaint is investigated and that you are given a response within 10 working days. Following this if you are still not satisfied with the conduct of your solicitor you should contact the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. Details can be sent to you if that stage is reached.

Keeping in Contact

To allow us to act for you we require your co-operation in responding to our letters and making and keeping appointments. We undertake to keep you informed of all important developments in your case. You will also be sent copies of the most important documents in your case as appropriate. The solicitor/advisor will review your file regularly.

We will aim to revert to your phone calls, correspondence or emails within reasonable time limits.

If you wish to discuss the file or check on progress please do not hesitate to write or telephone. If you receive any formal correspondence or court documents you must advise your solicitor/advisor as soon as possible. Should your address and contact details change (including your mobile phone number), please advise us as soon as possible.

If having written to you for information or instructions, you fail to respond to us and this persists for 6 weeks or more we will reserve the right to withdraw from acting and to close your file accordingly.

In cases when we appear in court on your behalf, if we have been unable to obtain instructions prior to the hearing, we might have to withdraw from acting on your behalf at court. This decision will be intimated to the court and your opponent. Please note, in such circumstances, where you have not given us instructions to appear on your behalf in court and we have to withdraw, we may be able to accept re-instructions, but this will be at the discretion of the Principal Solicitor. Where we have to withdraw from acting we will write to you to confirm the position of your case and the outcome of any court proceedings.

Withdrawal of Service

We reserve the right to withdraw from acting for a client where they display aggressive, intimidating, threatening or any other inappropriate behaviour towards any member of our staff.

Ethos of our Service

We are committed to providing a service which is open to all and in which no person will suffer discrimination or disadvantage on the grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds, disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin or of other personal attributes, including beliefs or opinions such as religious beliefs or political opinions.

We will ensure that this commitment extends to all areas of our operations, policies and procedures.

We will ensure all workers, involved in the delivery of this service, understand, embody and promote the ethos of equal access for all in accordance with the requirements of the Race Relation (amendment) Act 2000, Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Assessment and Evaluation – Outcomes

Our funders require us to provide statistical information in respect of the work we do and the outcomes of that work. You may be asked to complete a questionnaire while the case is ongoing or at the end of the work we are carrying out on your behalf to assist us in our statistical returns to our funders. Your consent would be required before this evaluation work is undertaken.