Questions

1.​Integrated legal assistance services involve the delivery of legal and social services by professionals working for the same organisation or partnership. Loosely integrated legal assistance services impose strict information barriers between lawyers and social service professionals providing services to clients. Closely integrated legal assistance services promote the joint delivery of legal and social services to clients at the same time, sometimes after obtaining client consent to potentially compromise privilege. How easy or difficult is it to implement these two models of integrated legal assistance services in practice?

2.​What are the benefits of integrated legal assistance services for clients, service providers and the justice system? Do you have case studies, examples or other evidence you can share?

3.​Integrated legal assistance services may compromise a client’s ability to retain legal privilege and expose their private information, including through the professional reporting obligations of social service professionals. Do you have case studies, examples or other evidence that indicate how easy or difficult it is for lawyers, social service professionals or clients to manage information disclosure requirements and requests in this context?

4.​Should the law enhance protection for communications between clients, lawyers and social service professionals in integrated legal assistance service settings? Why or why not?

5.​Are you in favour of establishing:

a.​a social service professional privilege that would enhance protection for communications between clients and social service professionals in loosely integrated legal assistance service settings and/or

b.​a new category of legal privilege that would enhance protection for communications between clients, lawyers and social service professionals in closely integrated legal assistance service settings?

​Why or why not?

6.​If you support a social service professional privilege for loosely integrated legal assistance service settings, do you have a view on the scope, elements, eligibility requirements or implications of the privilege? If so, what is it?

7.​If you support a new category of legal privilege for closely integrated legal assistance service settings, do you have a view on the scope, elements, eligibility requirements or implications of the privilege? If so, what is it?

​We are particularly keen to hear your views on the definition of closely integrated legal assistance services, eligibility requirements for the privilege, a safety exception to the privilege, and the implications of the privilege for social service professionals.