Annual Report 2011 - Legal Services Commissioner

Engagement with
community groups
Consumers will often turn to
community support services and
information networks when in need
of assistance, for example when
things go wrong with their lawyer.
Therefore, the LSC engages with a
cross-section of community support
groups through the Outreach
Program. The LSC distributes
information about consumers’ rights
and responsibilities when engaging
a lawyer and the process for making
a complaint with the LSC. The LSC
met with representatives from 71
community support services through
the 2010-11 Outreach Program, which
included crisis support organisations,
information referral services, disability
support groups, multicultural services,
indigenous services and services for
youth and the aged.
Organisations that the LSC
met with in 2010-11 included:
• Salvation Army Court and Prison
Chaplains, Melbourne
• Mornington Community Information
and Support Centre Inc
• Lilydale and District Community
Information Centre
• Broadmeadows Women’s
Community House
• Citizen Advocacy, Sunbury
• Arabic Welfare Incorporated,
Brunswick
• Colac Area Health Financial
Counselling, Colac
• Corangamite Shire Council, Cultural
and Community Development Unit,
Camperdown
• Centacare South West Family
Services, Warrnambool
• Brophy Family and Youth Services,
Portland and Hamilton
• Harrison Community Services,
Uniting Care, Wantirna
• Westernport Accommodation and
Youth Support Service, Dandenong
• Outlook Disability Services,
Pakenham
• Aboriginal Liaison Officers,
Goulburn Valley Health, Shepparton
• Youth Referral and Independent
Person Program, Uniting Care
Cutting Edge, Shepparton
• Adult Mental Health, Goulburn Valley
Health, Shepparton, and
• Macedon Ranges Family and
Community Services, Kyneton.
Feedback on the relationship
between lawyers and consumers
The LSC also seeks feedback from
community groups, both positive and
negative, on the overall relationship
between consumers and lawyers in
local areas. This information assists
the LSC in identifying emerging issues
and key trends in the lawyer-client
relationship. It also influences the
education activities and messages
communicated to the legal profession
through ethics workshops and seminar
presentations. Some of the issues
that were identified during discussions
with community support groups in
2010-11 included:
• the language used by lawyers is
inaccessible to many consumers
• access to lawyers in rural
communities is sometimes difficult
• there is a lack of legal information
available in languages other than
English
• due to the demands on their
services, legal aid duty lawyers
are often not able to spend enough
time with clients before appearing
in court, causing stress and further
delays in having matters heard
• communication with consumers
is often not managed effectively,
leading to unrealistic expectations
of clients, a poor understanding
of court and settlement processes,
and perceptions of conflict of
interest when lawyers from
opposite sides are friendly towards
each other
• lawyers sometimes do not
understand or make allowances
for the emotions of clients who
are in crisis situations
• legal costs are generally poorly
understood, frequently leading
to disputes about legal fees, and
• outdated court buildings restrict
the ability for clients to have
private conversations with their
lawyers, and can expose children
appearing in court to adult
offenders in some locations.
Engagement with
Members of Parliament
The LSC provides information about
the complaints handling process to
the electorate offices of Members
of Parliament (MPs). Constituents
often approach their local MPs for
information or assistance on specific
issues. The LSC therefore visits the
offices of local MPs as part of the
Outreach Program. During the year,
the LSC visited a total of 19 state
and federal MPs’ electorate offices.
LSC staff explain the role of the LSC
to the electorate officers and provide
brochures and other publications that
can be provided to constituents who
inquire about client-lawyer issues.
Community advocate
organisations
Community legal centres, specialist
legal services and Victoria Legal Aid
are important stakeholders for the
LSC because of their role in providing
legal services and advocating for the
rights of the community. In 2010-11,
the LSC met with representatives
from the following organisations:
Community legal centres
• Broadmeadows Community
Legal Centre
• South West Community Legal
Service, Warrnambool
• Fitzroy Legal Service
• Eastern Community Legal Service,
Box Hill office, and
• the pilot Goulburn Valley Community
Legal Service, Shepparton.
24 Legal Services COMMISSIONER Annual Report 2011