Why we called it Not A Lawyer

Something has gone wrong, and you are not sure if it is a legal problem. You have a letter, a text or a boss who has said something. You want to know where you stand and who to call.

That is what Not A Lawyer is for. It helps you work out what has happened to you under Queensland law, and where to go next.

What the service does

You tell us what is going on, in your own words. We match it to a plain-English guide, such as a notice to leave, being sacked or someone who owes you money.

Each guide covers what it usually means, what you can do now, the time limits that apply, what happens if it goes further, and what to ask whoever helps you. It also points to free and low-cost services that can help for real.

We cover Queensland law only, plus national law that applies in Queensland, such as the Fair Work Act.

Why the name is a promise

The name says what we are not. We are not a lawyer, and we do not give legal advice.

We give general information. General information explains how the law usually works, for anyone in a similar spot. Legal advice is about your own facts and what you should do about them. In Queensland, that is usually work for a solicitor. The Queensland Law Society says licensed solicitors can provide legal advice and assistance, and that the Society itself does not provide legal advice.

So when we write "usually" or "in many cases", we mean it. We cannot know how your case will turn out. We will tell you who can.

If we ever sound like we are telling you what will happen to you, that is a mistake. Please tell us.

What happens to what you type

Nothing you type goes to a lawyer unless you agree. If you ask us to pass your details on, we show you a consent first, in plain words, and you choose. If you do not agree, it stays with us and goes no further.

You do not need to give your name to use the site. Please leave names and contact details out of the search box and the chat. We do not need them to point you to the right guide.

We wrote a separate post on this: what happens to what you type. The full privacy policy is at /privacy.

Who runs it

Not A Lawyer is run by Blackletter Lab. We are a small team, not a law firm. Every guide is written as a draft, and a Queensland lawyer reviews it before it is marked as reviewed. You will see the review status on the page.

What we hope you do with it

Read the guide that fits. Write down the dates on any letters you have. Then call one of the free services we list, because they can look at your actual papers. There is a list of them in free legal help in Queensland.

If a lawyer ever reads this and thinks the name is a bit on the nose, they are right. It is a very honest name, and we suspect the only product in Queensland whose entire marketing is a disclaimer.