Code of conduct

Members of APIL must agree to abide by the APIL code of conduct and support APIL’s objectives. Any breaches of the code of conduct are fully investigated and acted upon.

APIL’s objectives

• To promote full and just compensation for all types of personal injury
• To promote and develop expertise in the practice of personal injury law
• To promote wider redress for personal injury in the legal system
• To campaign for improvement in personal injury law
• To promote safety and alert the public to hazards wherever they arise
• To promote a communication network for members.

The code

1. APIL members will act in the best interests of the client;
2. APIL members will provide the client with independent advice;
3. APIL members shall at all times behave and act in a manner which will uphold the standing and good reputation of claimant personal injury lawyers and APIL;
4. No APIL member shall pursue a frivolous claim issue or position; but no APIL member should refrain from taking or pursuing any claim issue or position which is believed to have merit;
5. APIL members will proceed expeditiously with all personal injury claims;
6. No APIL member shall make excessive or unnecessary monetary charges to the client;
7. No APIL member shall personally or through an agent make representations of experience or specialist skills which they do not possess;
8. No APIL member shall knowingly make any statement, whether in publicity material to a prospective client, an existing client, or otherwise which may give the client false expectations;
9. No APIL member shall undertake false, deceptive or misleading advertising;
10. APIL’s logo shall not be used by any APIL member, either personally or through their firm, for advertising or marketing purposes. Members are able to identify their individual APIL membership without using the APIL logo.
11. No APIL member shall personally, or through a representative, directly contact a potential client (except through permitted advertising), where there has been no request for such contact (‘cold calling’). “Permitted advertising” is defined as advertising which complies with the Code of Practice of the Advertising Standards Authority and with the Rules of the member’s relevant legal professional regulatory body.
12. APIL members may only pay or receive a fee for the introduction of clients where permitted by the rules of the member’s relevant legal professional regulatory body.
13. No APIL member shall knowingly accept a referral from a person, whether an APIL member or not, who obtained the representation by means contrary to this code.

View complete code of conduct