Guide
Client management and self care – A guide for pro bono lawyers (Guide) has been developed by a number of experienced pro bono coordinators. The purpose of the Guide is to help equip pro bono lawyers with the skills they need to effectively work with vulnerable clients, while looking after their own wellbeing.
- Part A provides guidance on the practical steps that pro bono lawyers can take to work effectively with their clients.
- Part B assists pro bono lawyers to be mindful of their own wellbeing.
- Part C includes a number of role play scripts that illustrate the commentary in Part A.
- Part D includes a template for Mental Health Services Cards that provide the details of health services to assist clients in distress, and also services that pro bono lawyers can access to debrief and seek support.
The Guide is intended to be a dynamic resource so firms are free to tailor and adapt the material contained in the Guide to meet the training needs of their lawyers.
Some ways in which the Guide can be used include:
- providing new starters with a tailored hard copy;
- developing the material in the Guide into a stand-alone training module; or
- the role plays could be incorporated into face-to-face pro bono or client management training sessions.
Sparke Helmore Lawyers have commissioned and coordinated the filming of eight short clips to accompany the Guide. These clips are dramatised illustrations of potential situations with difficult clients or inappropriate behaviour from lawyers.
- Aggressive client
- No legal problem, wants a chat
- Non-responsive, suffered trauma
- Distressed client
- Threat of suicide
- Strange behaviour
- Plain English
- Culturally and linguistically diverse
1. Aggressive client (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
2. No legal problem, wants a chat (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
3. Non-responsive, suffered trauma (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
4. Distressed client (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
5. Threat of suicide (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
6. Strange behaviour (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
7. Plain English (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.
8. Culturally and linguistically diverse (Client Management & Self-Care) from Australian Pro Bono Centre on Vimeo.