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Free Legal Advice

FLAC Clinics

Citizens Information Centres no longer offer face-to-face free legal advice clinics.

A limited number of FLAC phone advice appointments are offered in conjunction with the Citizen Information Services around the country. Please read more about these appointments below.

FLAC is a small non-governmental organisation (NGO) and should not be confused with the Legal Aid Board.

Employment Law Waiting List (1)

FLAC Phone Advice Appointments

Appointments:

  • can only be made when available and where your query has a clear legal question that cannot be answered by information only*
  • are in huge demand, are dependent on volunteer lawyer availability and are not simply available on request

During a phone advice appointment, advice is provided by a FLAC volunteer lawyer. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the volunteer lawyer can advise you, from time to time queries may be outside a volunteer lawyer's area of knowledge and they may not be able to advise you.

Find out more about:

  1. Where can I find legal information on my issue?
  2. Who are FLAC Phone Advice appointments for?
  3. What is a FLAC Phone Advice appointment?
  4. How do I make an appointment?
  5. What happens during a FLAC Phone Advice appointment?
  6. Who will I speak to during my FLAC Phone Advice appointment?
  7. I already have a lawyer / solicitor. Can I get an appointment for FLAC phone advice?
  8. Can I have a FLAC phone advice appointment if I have a complicated legal query that may take more than 15-20 minutes to discuss?

1. Where can I find legal information on my issue?

You may find answers to some of your questions through the Citizens Information website or call The Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS) who provide comprehensive and confidential telephone information service. You can contact CIPS by phone from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, on 0818 07 4000. If you are calling CIPS from outside Ireland, you should dial +353 21 229 8178.

The Courts Service websites contains extensive information on many of the most common queries in FLAC clinics including: 

Family Law

Employment

Consumer Rights

2. Who are FLAC Phone Advice appointments for?

To help manage the limited number of phone advice appointments an Information Officer in the Citizens Information Centre or other FLAC partner organisation will discuss your query with you.

FLAC phone advice appointments are for people who:

  • cannot afford legal advice
  • need once-off, early, basic legal advice 
  • have already spoken with an Information Officer

FLAC phone advice appointments are not for people who:

  • need ongoing legal advice and/or representation
  • have complex legal queries
  • already have a lawyer acting on their behalf
  • are seeking a second opinion on legal advice they have already received
  • can afford to pay for legal advice or get legal advice from a union

Please note

  • Appointments are not simply available on a request basis and are provided based on the judgement of the Information Officer as to whether a query is suitable and that a telephone advice appointment may assist a service user. FLAC is a small NGO and advice is provided by a small pool of volunteer lawyers
  • FLAC provides once off basic legal advice
  • Repeated contact by service users requesting ongoing, complex and/or repeat legal advice cannot be facilitated.
  • FLAC has limited resources and we are not in a position to advise employers

3. What is a FLAC phone advice appointment?

A FLAC phone advice appointment is a free and confidential appointment in which a volunteer lawyer may provide you with the following:

  • First stop assistance
  • Basic legal information
  • Advice (such as the next steps you need to take)
  • Referral (to another appropriate and relevant service)

4. How do I make an appointment?

A FLAC phone advice appointment may be made by an Information Officer from a Citizens Information Centre or other partner organisation.

  • You can contact or visit your local Citizen Information Centre (CIC). Find your local centre: https://centres.citizensinformation.ie/  
  • A CIS Information Officer will discuss your query with you. If the query cannot be answered with information, you meet the criteria outlined above and an appointment is available, they will arrange it for you

5. What happens during a FLAC phone advice appointment?

6. Who will I speak to during my FLAC phone advice appointment?

  • You will be speaking to a FLAC volunteer lawyer
  • All of our volunteer lawyers are qualified to practice law in Ireland.

7. I already have a lawyer / solicitor. Can I get an appointment for FLAC phone advice?

  • No, our volunteer lawyers cannot provide you with a second opinion

8. Can I have a FLAC phone advice appointment if I have a complicated legal query that may take more than 15-20 minutes to discuss?

  • You may be offered a phone advice appointment, but the session will still only last 15-20 minutes
  • The service only provides basic legal advice
  • If your situation is complex and you need ongoing legal advice, you may be advised to go to a private solicitor
  • If you are eligible for state support such as Legal Aid, you may be referred to the Legal Aid Board. 

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