From time to time, companies and individuals may receive
requests from lawyers to provide copies of confidential documents
they hold. In Queensland, this can be done in several ways: by a
solicitor's letter, by Notice of Non-Party Disclosure or by
subpoena.
A request for copies of documents made in correspondence from a
solicitor may not be enforceable against you, so you should
consider the circumstances before responding. For example, it might
be the correspondence suggests the lawyers are trying to find
documents which might help their client in an action against you.
As there is unlikely to be any penalty against you if you refuse to
provide your documents in these circumstances, you may choose to
decline the request on the basis of confidentiality. However, where
the request for documents is stated to be based on an entitlement
under legislation, such as workers' compensation legislation,
then you should seek independent legal advice about the request
before
