Law experts say pro bono lawyers are being left to “pick up the pieces” and “hold the legal system together,” as cost-of-living pressures continue to make legal advice inaccessible.
Curtin Law School Senior Lecturer Katrina Williams says community legal organisations and pro bono services (legal work undertaken voluntarily without payment) are struggling to meet increasing demand.
Ms Williams attributes this demand to several factors.
“It [demand] will continue increasing, certainly in the short term because of the cost of living. Expenses are increasing, violence towards women and children are increasing and there’s not going to be any decrease in the need for the services of pro bono lawyers until community organisations are funded properly,” she says.
Ms Williams says the need for pro bono work is enormous in WA, but there are limited resources.
Dean of the UWA Law School and board member for Law Access Professor Sharon Mascher says pro bono work has long been considered a core responsibility of the legal profession.
She says worsening financial pressures will see increasing demand for free legal services.
“We can all observe there’s cost-of-living pressures and people are increasingly having to face tough choices about what they can and can’t afford. In that kind of environment, the demand for pro bono services will continue,” Professor Mascher says.
Ms Williams, who previously worked as principal lawyer at Law Access, says many people fall into a gap where they are unable to afford private representation, but don’t qualify for legal aid.
Law Access operates as WA’s pro bono clearing house, connecting people who are unable to access legal assistance with lawyers willing to take on cases for free.
Paralegal at Legal Aid WA and president of the Curtin Student Law Society, Carys Vincent De Sousa says Law Access helps facilitate pro bono lawyers within the WA legal profession, helping people who are not eligible for legal aid.
She says Law Access relies heavily on the Walk for Justice.
“The Walk for Justice is their biggest effort in raising money to be able to continue with connecting pro bono lawyers with clients who need legal help.”
The Walk for Justice on the 19th of May will bring together lawyers, law students and members of the public to raise funds and awareness for Law Access during Law Week.
Ms Williams says the event was first introduced in WA after her and former Law Access CEO Dominique Hansen saw similar initiatives interstate and recognised the need for greater support locally.
“We thought it would be a great idea to run it here with the aim of raising more funds for Law Access to be able to help more people,” she says.
Professor Mascher says the walk is a time when the legal community comes together and visibly demonstrates its commitment to ensuring people can access justice.
Hear more from Carys Vincent-de-Sousa about the Walk for Justice and Law Access. Video: Esma Serin.
Categories: Cost of Living, law, Legal, News Day