Agreement To Provide Limited Legal Advice
This is an Agreement between you, the litigant, and Community Legal Services of Prince George's County, Inc., the nonprofit legal services program that staffs the Brief Advice Clinics (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement"). It contains the terms of our agreement to provide you with information, limited legal advice, and assistance so that you can better represent yourself in your case.
Scope of Legal Advice: You have asked us to provide legal advice and/or referrals. We will help you with information about your case and forms to file for it on your own. This Agreement does not extend the scope of our representation past our consultation. If an attorney represents you, we cannot discuss your case with you. You should speak to your attorney about your legal issue, question, and/or case.
We have not agreed to represent you by, for example, representing you in your case, going to a hearing or trial with you, preparing your case for trial, or providing any legal help other than the assistance provided in this consultation and any follow-up consultation.
Third Parties: We can only assist the person who has the legal issue. We cannot speak with a friend or family member on your behalf. Because of the confidentiality of the consultation, we will not allow a third party to sit in our consultation.
Duration of Legal Help: Our Agreement to advise you begins immediately and will end after our consultation today. We will not continue to follow your case, appear at your hearing(s), file any documents on your behalf, nor notify you of future information about your case.
Cooperation: We need your cooperation to advise you effectively. You agree to answer questions truthfully and provide all relevant information. You agree to provide demographic information needed by our organization for our reporting purposes.
Attorney's Fees: Our services are free of charge.
Conflict of Interest: You understand that we may have met with the opposing party in this case in the past or may provide legal assistance to a person(s) who may have interests opposing your interests in the future. If we realize that a conflict exists, we may decline to provide legal assistance. We will do our best to provide you with additional resources that may be available to assist you if we cannot.
Costs: There are costs related to a lawsuit. We will not pay any costs for your case. Rather, you will be responsible for all costs.
Declining to Advise: We may decline advice after interviewing you if your legal problems are beyond the scope of our services or for any other reason outlined in the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct.
Household Size and Income: CLS is an income-based organization. To receive this consultation and any other CLS service, you agree to share your household size and income truthfully. CLS reserves the right to request income verification information for any service, including brief advice. By signing below, you acknowledge that you have provided your household size and income accurately and truthfully.
By signing this Agreement, you are accepting the terms of our services. You understand that if you have any questions related to our Agreement, you may discuss this Agreement with an outside attorney before signing the Agreement.
By signing below, you acknowledge that you have had enough time to review and ask any questions about this Agreement for Brief Advice Clinic, that you are signing this document voluntarily, and that you accept all terms of this Agreement.