Issue 58: May 2010
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Welcome to the May 2010 edition of the e-Newsletter of the National Pro Bono Resource Centre (the Centre). We welcome your feedback/contributions/ideas. In this edition, read about:
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The first day of National Law Week 2010 (Monday 17 May) will be National Pro Bono Day. The centrepiece of this day is the Walk for Justice, now in its third year, which will take place in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. The Walk for Justice is a 3- National Pro Bono Day 2010 will celebrate the outstanding pro bono commitment of the legal profession in ensuring access to justice for marginalised and disadvantaged Australians. Members of the profession are encouraged to mark this day by walking for justice and developing other activities to celebrate the profession’s pro bono contribution. The Walk is also an annual opportunity for law firms to make donations to the pro bono clearing house in their state. Many law firm teams have already registered.
For more information on the Walk in your city, or to register, please follow one of the following links: Melbourne – PILCH (VIC) Sydney – PILCH (NSW)
This walk will be led by the Hon Robert McClelland, MP, Commonwealth Attorney-General and Hon John Hatzistergos, Attorney General of New South Wales Brisbane – QPILCH This walk will be led by the Hon Paul de Jersey AC QC, Chief Justice of Queensland and the Hon Cameron Dick, Attorney General of Queensland Adelaide – JusticeNet SA |
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NSW Minister for the Arts, Virginia Judge and Justice George Palmer, Supreme Court of NSW, presented Awards to the following recipients:
Adrian Cannon (Cannon Lawyers), Adrian Fisher (Allens Arthur Robinson), Adrian Goss (ACP Magazines), Alec Christie (DLA Phillips Fox), Bethany Jones (Media Arts Lawyers), Cass Matthews (UBI World TV), Charles Alexander (Minter Ellison), Daniel Posker (Freehills), Darren Sanicki (Darren Sanicki Music & Entertainment Lawyers), Frances Wheelahan (Corrs Chambers Westgarth), Jackie Emery (DLA Phillips Fox), Jamie Doran (Clayton Utz), Jamie Lyford (Elevation Partners Pty Ltd), Jules Munro (Simpsons Solicitors), Kate Erman (CSIRO), Katherine Giles (ABC), Mary Saywell (Baker and McKenzie), Michael Easton (Brett Oaten Solicitors), Michael Tucak (Creative Legal), Nadine Bairle (Allens Arthur Robinson), Naomi Messenger (Swaab Attorneys), Nicole Kassis (DLA Phillips Fox), Peter Karcher (Gray & Perkins), Stephanie Faulkner (Jackson McDonald), Stephen Boyle, Stephen Digby (Digby Law), Tracey Wren (Orica Australia), Troy Gurnett (Middletons), Zero Partos (Barrister-at-law). Justice Palmer stated that “Pro bono work helps artists and arts organisations from all the various art forms and across the country, whether they are in metropolitan Sydney, regional Western Australia or outback Northern Territory” and noted that the Centre has 240 lawyers on its Pro Bono Panel, including in every capital city of Australia.
On 16 April the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre presented its biennial Children’s Law Awards were held at the Sydney office of Mallesons Stephen Jaques. The Awards recognise the achievements and commitment of those individuals and organisations who advance the legal rights and interests of children and young people across Australia. The Hon Catherine Branson QC, President of the Australian Human Rights Commision, presented the following awards: The National Award for Outstanding Legal Representation of the Rights and Interests of Children & Young People Robert Croser, legal representative for children in the Adelaide Youth Court since 1981 The National Award for Outstanding Contribution to Advocacy in Policy or Law Reform to Advance the Legal Rights and Interests of Children & Young People Youth Affairs Council of South Australia, a non-government body that has advocated for law and policy reform in the area of youth justice The Media Award for Raising Awareness of Important Children’s Legal Rights Issues For more information on the winners and those who received honourable mentions, please refer to the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre’s website. |
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The Centre’s Senior Policy & Project Manager, Skye Rose, is currently on leave while she undertakes a human rights internship with Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), a Cambodian NGO that focuses on improving and protecting human rights and the rule of law in Cambodia. Skye has been investigating and reporting on claims of forced evictions, land-grabbing, unlawful detention, torture and other human rights abuses by authorities against human rights defenders and prisoners, culminating in the preparation of Reports on Threats and Attacks against Human Rights Defenders, and Pre-trial Detention (which are due to be published in June 2010). Skye has also provided advice on the regulatory and compliance systems in place under the new Anti-Corruption Law passed in March 2010, and devised and coordinated advocacy efforts against legislation aiming to restrict the activities of NGOs, including potential restrictions on free speech. For more information on LICADHO’s work please visit its website at www.licadho-cambodia.org/. Skye is due to recommence her employment with the Centre in June 2010. |
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Earlier this year the Council of the Law Society of Tasmania approved the establishment of a pro bono clearing house, to be administered by the Law Society. The Law Society of Tasmania’s Pro Bono Clearing House is set to be launched on Wednesday 19 May, during Law Week. For further information on the scheme please contact the Law Society on (03) 6234 4133 or via email at info@taslawsociety.asn.au. |
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| The 3rd National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference will bring together lawyers, policy makers, academics and law students on 27 – 28 August 2010 at the Sebel Citigate, Brisbane.
The conference will cover key issues in the area of access to justice including the case for funding the legal assistance sector, identification of gaps in legal need and improving coordination across the sector. Sessions will be in four streams, criminal justice, pro bono, civil and family law. For more information, please refer to the Centre’s website, where you can also find copies of papers from the 2008 Conference. |
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| The Centre in partnership with the College of Law and LexisNexis, has published a new guide for practical legal training (PLT) students in Australia.
Recognising the importance of pro bono work in the legal profession, The College of Law approached the Centre with a proposal to draft a paper on pro bono which could be made available to its PLT students. The publication is an introduction to pro bono legal work in Australia. It provides a comprehensive overview of pro bono service delivery for PLT students and graduate lawyers with an interest in access to justice. The publication provides information on who delivers pro bono services, the ways in which pro bono services are provided and also details the pathways to accessing pro bono across Australia. The Guide, written by the Centre and published online by LexisNexis, is included in The College of Law’s practice paper collections in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. The guide is provided to all students who completed their PLT with The College of Law. Neville Carter, Group Managing Director and Principal of The College of Law, said The College was delighted to be involved with the initiative. “Allowing all members of our community access to legal assistance is an integral part of ensuring that justice is within reach of those who may be without the financial means to secure legal representation,” he said. “Pro bono services have long been valued in Australia, and we are very excited to be a part of such a great initiative,” Mr Carter added. LexisNexis provided the Centre, pro bono, with copies of the guide to be distributed to PLT provides and legal academics across the country. A soft copy of the Guide can also be downloaded from the Centre’s website. Hard copies can be obtained by e-mailing the Centre at info@nationalprobono.org.au. |
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The Centre now has a new Office Manager – Daniel Jacobs. Daniel has come to the Centre from working at the Public Interest Law Clearing House (PILCH) in Victoria on the Victorian Bar Pro Bono Scheme. Daniel can be contacted via daniel@nationalprobono.org.au.
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Shoalcoast Community Legal Centre, located in Nowra on the south coast of NSW, is looking for a new principal solicitor, on a permanent full-time basis. Applications close 14 May 2010. Please contact Kerry Wright by email at kerry@shoalcoast.org.au for a position information package.
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The Mental Health Legal Centre, located in Melbourne, is looking for a new Principal Lawyer (22.8 hours/week) and Night Service Coordinator (19 hours/week). Applications close 14 May 2010. Please contact the Centre at mental_health_vic@clc.net.au or on (03) 9629 4422 for position descriptions and selection criteria.
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Articles of interest to to the pro bono community from March and April 2010. Click through to read any news article in full. 29/4/2010 The Advertiser Legal Aid rallies for sufficient funding 29 Apr, 2010 04:00 AM STAFF at the Bendigo Community Legal Centre are waiting on the state and federal budgets after claims those using the system are suffering. 28/4/2010 The New Lawyer Govt gives in to protesting lawyers TARRED and feathered and overwhelmed by picketing lawyers, the Victorian Government has given in to demands it boost legal aid in the 4 May budget. Outside the County Court this morning, robed and protesting lawyers publicly protested and called for increased legal aid funding to improve the “dire state” of… 28/4/2010 ABC News Lawyers rally over legal aid funding crisis Hundreds of lawyers rallied outside the Victorian Country Court this morning demanding an urgent increase in legal aid funding. 26/4/2010 Community Net Law Week Community Service Workers Forum – 18 May 2010, Blacktown 10.00am-3.00pm Grand Ballroom, Blacktown Workers Club Hosted by Blacktown Family Relationship Centre (supported by a NSW Law Society Law Week 2010 Grant) in partnership with Women’s Legal Services NSW and Hawkesbury Nepean Community Legal Centre. Lawyers call for $220m injection into legal aid THE legal profession’s representative body is riled over new statistics that reveal that government legal aid funding has dramatically decreased. The Law Council of Australia is now urging the federal government to address the issue in the 2010 Budget. 19/4/2010 The Journal Online Today Report on the recent Access to Justice conference run by the Society, when invited participants discussed the scope for improvement at present by Andrew Alexander The Law Society held a well-attended Access to Justice conference at Drumsheugh Gardens in February, bringing together a range of… 7/4/2010 Herald Scotland The president of the Law Society of Scotland has warned that legal aid is still underfunded and suggested future regulators might want to consider a compulsory scheme to ensure access to justice. 6/4/2010 ABC [Canberra] Bagging some bling for the ACT Women’s Legal Centre It’s recycling with a stylish twist as one woman’s fling thing becomes another woman’s bling-bling. 5/4/2010 ABC 7.30 Report Salvos reach out to the top end of town The Salvation Army will open a commercial law firm in the Sydney CBD later this year which will charge market rates to do property and conveyancing law for corporate and government clients. Profits from the new firm, which will pay its lawyers proper salaries, will be funnelled back into the Salvation Army… 5/4/2010 ABC [Sydney] Salvos join forces with top end of town The Salvation Army will open a commercial law firm in the Sydney CBD later this year which will charge market rates to do property and conveyancing law for corporate and government clients. 1/4/2010 Silobreaker Bravely entering the lion’s den — delivering a speech in praise of left-wing, ‘pro bono’ lawyering to a group of left-wing, pro bono lawyers — Attorney General Eric Holder recently declared that ‘lawyers who provide counsel for the unpopular are, and should be, treated as what they… 31/3/10 Lawyer 2B Northumbria Uni triumphs at UK Attorney General’s pro bono awards More than 100 would-be lawyers were treated to afternoon tea at the House of Lords yesterday after being short-listed for the annual Attorney General’s Pro Bono Awards. 31/3/10 Victoria Legal Aid Helping people with an intellectual disability to solve their legal problems The first event in Victoria Legal Aid’s Insight Series will look at the issue of ‘Helping people with an intellectual disability to solve their legal problems’. 31/3/10 Lawyers Weekly Online Rural and regional law conference a national first Deakin University has announced it will host Australia’s first ever national Rural and Regional Law and Justice Conference in November this year. The two-day conference, to be held in Warrnambool in Victoria’s south, will be opened by Chief Justice Robert French and will tackle challenges prevalent in rural… 29/3/10 Lawyers Weekly Online Calls for legal aid funding boost A Pricewaterhouse Coopers report, commissioned for National Legal Aid, has revealed that the legal aid system is still struggling to recover from funding cuts introduced in 1996-1997, leading to calls for a much-needed funding boost. 28/3/10 Community Net Law Week Community Service Workers Forum – 18 May 2010, Blacktown 10.00am-3.00pm Grand Ballroom, Blacktown Workers Club Hosted by Blacktown Family Relationship Centre (supported by a NSW Law Society Law Week 2010 Grant) in partnership with Women’s Legal Services NSW and Hawkesbury Nepean Community Legal Centre. |
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5 km walk past key city legal landmarks which aims to raise awareness of unmet legal need in the community and raise funds to support the work of the pro bono clearing houses in each State and Territory. It is an initiative of the Public Interest Law Clearing Houses of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, JusticeNet SA in South Australia and the National Pro Bono Resource Centre. 
On 30 March the Arts Law Centre of Australia held its annual Arts Law Pro Bono Print Commission Awards at Artspace, Woolloomooloo. Twenty-nine lawyers were presented with a limited edition print of Gwenn Tasker’s Safe Haven in recognition of pro bono work undertaken for the Centre and its clients.