---
title: "Warm referral to another service, with the client's consent to share information"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/legal-aid-and-community-legal-practice/warm-referral-letter-with-consent"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a54-warm-referral-letter-with-consent"
area_id: "A54"
kind: "letter"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-18"
---

# Warm referral to another service, with the client's consent to share information

> Consent record and referral letter for passing a client to another legal, financial counselling or support service: what the client agreed to share, the issue, deadlines, what has been done, safe contact details and…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/legal-aid-and-community-legal-practice/warm-referral-letter-with-consent  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-18

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

Consent record and referral letter for passing a client to another legal, financial counselling or support service: what the client agreed to share, the issue, deadlines, what has been done, safe contact details and interpreter needs.

## Key facts

- Kind: Letter. A letter or email you adapt and send.
- Practice area: [Legal Aid & Community Legal Practice](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/legal-aid-and-community-legal-practice.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia
- AI level: Yellow. AI can help in set ways. A lawyer checks specific points before use.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-18
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-18 against the 2 authorities it cites, for Australia.

## When to use it

Use when the service cannot help (conflict, capacity, eligibility or expertise) or another service is better placed, and the client wants a "warm" referral rather than just a phone number. Do not send any information until the consent section is completed with the client.

## How AI may be used

AI may draft the referral summary from the intake and file notes within what the client agreed to share; a lawyer checks the consent, the summary and the deadlines before it is sent.

**AI may:**

- Summarise the issue and the steps taken from the file notes, limited to the categories ticked in the consent record
- List deadlines and documents attached from the file for the lawyer to confirm
- Suggest services matching the issue and location from the centre's own referral directory

**AI must not:**

- Must not include information in a category the client did not agree to share, including health, criminal history or immigration status
- Must not include the other party's details beyond what the receiving service needs to check conflicts
- Must not state that the receiving service will act for the client

**The lawyer checks:**

- The client agreed to the referral and to each category of information shared, and the consent is recorded
- The receiving service is suitable, open to this client and has been told about any urgent deadline
- Safe contact details and interpreter needs are correct

## Authorities

- [Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 r 9.1 and r 9.2.1 (confidential client information may be disclosed outside the practice only with the client's express or implied authority or another exception)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/current/sl-2015-0244)
- [OAIC, Australian Privacy Principles guidelines, Chapter 6: APP 6 use or disclosure of personal information, paras 6.16 and 6.17 (disclosure for a secondary purpose with consent; elements of valid consent)](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles/australian-privacy-principles-guidelines/chapter-6-app-6-use-or-disclosure-of-personal-information)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/legal-aid-and-community-legal-practice/warm-referral-letter-with-consent and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*