The Unit relies on working in partnership with advice agencies and solicitors in order to give the most effective help that it can. We work with referring agencies on individual cases in the following ways:

Helping to identify cases suitable for application to the Unit

• Advice agencies and solicitors can assist an applicant with identifying whether their case may be suitable for referral to the Unit.
• Whilst we provide general information on this website, we always encourage agencies and solicitors to contact us to discuss a particular case before making an application if that is helpful.
• We make it clear to applicants in our literature and on this website that the decision about whether or not to make an application in an individual case is entirely up to the particular agency or solicitor involved.

Making the application to the Unit

• The referring agency or solicitor needs to ensure that the Unit’s application form is fully completed, that all relevant information is included, and that copies of documents necessary to make a decision on an application are sent.  Again, if a referrer experiences any difficulties with the form, we are very happy for them to contact us.

Contact point between submission of application and Unit decision

• The Unit will correspond with the referring agency or solicitor up to and including the point where a decision is taken on an application.  The referring agency or solicitor is responsible for communication with the applicant.
• The Unit may need to request further information from the referring agency or solicitor in order to assist with the processing of an application.

Following the Unit’s decision

• If a case is accepted, it assists enormously where the referring agency or solicitor is able to stay involved beyond the point of acceptance as the contact for the Unit.
• In the best scenario of all, the referring agency or solicitor will be able to continue to work on an accepted case alongside a barrister.  Particular pieces of work which a referring agency or solicitor may be able to assist with include taking witness statements, putting bundles together, corresponding with the other side and undertaking ‘solicitor-type’ work.
• If a referring agency or solicitor is able to remain involved in a case, and then has concerns that a barrister is expecting them to help with pieces of work which they are not able to resource or where they have not offered help, the referring agency or solicitor is very welcome to contact the Unit to assist with resolving the difficulty.
• If an application is rejected by the Unit, solicitors and referring agencies need to convey the decision to the applicant, and assist them with understanding the reason for rejection.  It is particularly important that applicants understand that the Unit cannot give legal advice when it rejects an application, and that the reason for rejection is not legal advice.