Overview
You can set up Legal Aid clients and matters in Access Legal Case Management by:
Creating a client with the required Legal Aid personal details
Creating a matter and completing the Legal Aid and, if applicable, Crime tabs
Generating the UFN from the File Label in the workflow
Adding client initials for CDS6 billing
Running the File Opening Form to help populate other templates and screens
Follow the steps below in order.
Create a Legal Aid Client
On the main screen, click the person with a + icon.
💡 This is usually a pink icon.
In the dialogue box, click Add near the top of the screen.
⚠️ If you do not click Add, the Save button will not be available.
Under Contact & Address, enter the client’s basic information.
Scroll down to the Personal Details section and complete the required Legal Aid fields, including:
Ethnic Origin
Disability Monitoring
Gender
When all required details are complete, click Save to create the client.
Create a Legal Aid Matter
You can create a matter for an existing client or for the client you just created.
Go to the Client tab and open the client you wish to create a matter for.
On the dialog box that opens, click Matters at the top.
When prompted to create a new matter, select Yes.
Click Add and populate the information into the data entry fields at the top.
On the same screen, ensure the Matters tab is open and complete the fields shown.
💡 Any fields marked with a red asterisk * are mandatory.
Next, you will complete the Legal Aid information for the matter.
Complete the Legal Aid Tab
On the matter screen, click the Legal Aid tab.
⚠️ This tab only appears if the Private checkbox is not ticked.
Under the Public Funded section, tick the relevant box for the type of funding for this matter.
If this is a crime Legal Aid matter, also tick Crime Legal Aid.
Leave the UFN field blank – this will be generated later in the File Label.
Enter the required date to complete the Legal Aid tab fields.
Click the Crime tab to continue (for crime matters).
Complete the Crime Tab (Crime Legal Aid Only)
On the Crime tab, review the matter details.
The UFN will be generated from the File Label later.
Add any bail conditions if required:
You can enter them here on the Crime tab, or
Add them from the Bail Conditions screen within the workflow.
When all Crime tab details are complete, click Save at the top to create the matter.
Click OK to close the dialog and load the matter.
Generate the UFN in the Workflow
With the matter open, click View Workflow.
In the workflow, locate and double-click the File Label to run it.
In the File Label screen, click into the UFN field.
Press the Tab key on your keyboard.
The UFN Generator window will open.
Enter the required date in the UFN Generator window.
Click OK.
The UFN field on the File Label will now be populated.
Custody and Bail Flags
On the File Label screen you will see:
Client in Custody?
Client on Police Bail?
Client on Court Bail?
⚠️ Important
If any of these buttons are left unticked, letters produced from this file will assume that the client is in prison and will write accordingly.
Review and set these flags correctly.
Click OK to save and close the File Label.
Add Client Initials for CDS6 Billing
For CDS6 billing, you must add the client’s initials.
In the workflow, open the Data Entry Screens folder.
Double-click Client/Additional Details.
In the window that opens, enter the client’s initials in the Initials field.
Click OK to save and close the screen.
Use the File Opening Form
The File Opening Form helps auto-populate fields in other templates and screens.
In the workflow, find the File Opening Procedure folder.
Run the File Opening Form template.
Complete the fields as prompted.
This will assist with populating data across other Legal Aid templates and data screens for the matter.
If you still need help setting up Legal Aid clients or matters after following these steps, please raise a new support case online and reference the title of this article so the Support Team can assist you further.