Annual Report 2004 â 2005 - pilch

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1 PUBLIC INTEREST LAW CLEARING HOUSE The Public Interest Law Clearing House (‘PILCH’) is an independent, not-for-profit legal referral service. It seeks to meet the legal needs of community groups and not-for-profit organisations, and individuals from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds. PILCH acts as a facilitator or go-between for pro bono legal assistance between the community and the private legal profession. Its main role is to receive, assess and refer requests for pro bono legal assistance. PILCH aims to work creatively to match clients with lawyers willing to give their services without charge. PILCH coordinates the delivery of pro bono legal services through four schemes: • the Public Interest Law Scheme; • the Victorian Bar Legal Assistance Scheme (‘VB LAS’); • the Law Institute of Victoria Legal Assistance Scheme (‘LIV LAS’); and • the Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic (‘HPLC’). PILCH assists individual clients who satisfy legal merits and means tests and who are ineligible for legal aid. If the client’s matter raises issues of public interest that require legal resolution, they will be referred through the Public Interest Law Scheme. They may otherwise be assisted through LIV LAS or VB LAS. The lawyer who accepts the referral then acts for the client on a pro bono basis. Not-for-profit organisations with public interest objectives, or which provide services that are in the public interest, are also eligible for assistance through the Public Interest Law Scheme. PILCH aims to support and enhance the work done for and on behalf of the community by such organisations, which typically function with limited resources, by providing access to quality legal services. HPLC assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through the provision of legal services in relation to civil law and summary crime. The services are delivered by PILCH member law firms at nine sites around Melbourne which are frequented by homeless people to access other related services, such as food or accommodation. PILCH’s membership represents the diversity of the Victorian legal profession and includes private law firms, the Victorian Bar, corporate legal departments, community legal centres and university law faculties. Members support PILCH in a variety of ways including by providing financial and ‘in kind’ support and by accepting referrals for legal assistance. PILCH’s objectives are to: • improve access to justice and the legal system for those who are disadvantaged or marginalised; • identify matters of public interest requiring legal assistance; • seek redress in matters of public interest for those who are disadvantaged or marginalised; • refer individuals, community groups and not for profit organisations to lawyers in private practice and to others in ancillary or related fields willing to provide their services without charge; • support and enhance community organisations in pursuing the interests of the communities they seek to represent; and • encourage, foster and support the work and expertise of the legal profession in pro bono and/or public interest law. PILCH thanks its 2004-2005 members for their support and contribution: Law Firms Aitken Walker & Strachan Allens Arthur Robinson Andrew George Solicitors Arnold Bloch Leibler Arnold Dallas McPherson Baker & McKenzie Blake Dawson Waldron Clayton Utz Corrs Chambers Westgarth Deacons Ebsworth & Ebsworth Freehills Herbert Geer & Rundle Holding Redlich Hunt & Hunt Maddocks Mallesons Stephen Jaques Middletons Minter Ellison Phillips Fox Robinson Gill Russell Kennedy Ryan Carlisle Thomas Sparke Helmore The Office of David Grace QC TressCox Wisewoulds Corporate Legal Departments National Australia Bank Ltd, Legal Department Tabcorp Holdings Ltd, Legal Department Transport Accident Commission Professional Organisations Law Institute of Victoria Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution Victorian Bar Universities La Trobe University, School of Law & Legal Studies Monash University, Law School University of Melbourne, Law School Victoria University, Faculty of Business & Law Community Legal Centres Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Service Casey Cardinia Community Legal Service Coburg Brunswick Community Legal and Financial Counselling Centre Community West Consumer Law Centre Victoria Environment Defenders Office (Vic) Ltd Essendon Community Legal Centre Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic) Fitzroy Legal Service Flemington-Kensington Legal Centre Geelong Community Legal Service Gippsland Community Legal Service JobWatch Inc Melbourne University Student Union Legal Service Mental Health Legal Centre Peninsula Community Legal Centre Springvale Monash Legal Service SRC Legal Service, La Trobe University Tenants Union of Victoria Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Inc Western Suburbs Legal Service Women’s Legal Service Victoria
CONTENTS Executive Directors’ Report 3 Public Interest Law Clearing House 5 Victorian Bar Legal Assistance Scheme 10 Law Institute of Victoria Legal Assistance Scheme 13 Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic 16 Staff 19 Acknowledgments 19 Fellow Profile 20 Financial Reports 21 BOARD MEMBERS Ian Walker (President) Minter Ellison Bruce Moore (Treasurer) Andrew George (Secretary) Judith Dickson (Alternate) John Emerson Robert Jamieson David Krasnostein Sarah Matheson Richard McGarvie SC Fiona McLeay Jeannie Paterson Helen Rhoades (Alternate) Dominique Saunders Stephen Sawer John Sharkey Peter Seidel Anna Stewart Maddocks Andrew George Solicitors La Trobe University, School of Law & Legal Studies Freehills Blake Dawson Waldron National Australia Bank Ltd, Legal Department Allens Arthur Robinson Victorian Bar Clayton Utz Monash University, Law School University of Melbourne, Law School Law Institute of Victoria Phillips Fox Deacons Arnold Bloch Leibler Consumer Law Centre Victoria PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE As President of the Board, I am pleased to present the Public Interest Law Clearing House Annual Report for the period July 2004 to June 2005. Over the past year, PILCH has continued to coordinate effective and accessible pro bono legal services to notfor-profit organisations, community groups and disadvantaged individuals – reinforcing PILCH’s reputation as Melbourne’s one stop pro bono shop. PILCH’s referral work and law reform activity have increased over the year. All the Schemes administered by PILCH have seen an increase in the number of requests for assistance with a corresponding increase in referrals to practitioners for pro bono assistance. PILCH relies on the skills and expertise of a wide range of organisations to meet these demands, including law firms, corporate legal departments, universities and community legal centres. As a part of its innovation of new projects to extend the reach of pro bono, PILCH has continued efforts to establish a Human Rights Legal Centre, has laid the groundwork for a drive into rural, regional and remote areas, and has worked with universities in Melbourne with the aim of establishing new public interest law subjects. Community organisations such as PILCH face a range of challenges if they are to survive and stay relevant. Our Staff and Board have spent a considerable period of time over the last few months formulating and developing a strategic plan for 2006-2009 to ensure that PILCH maintains its momentum and relevance as an organisation, with its roots in the provision of pro bono legal services, cognisant of the value it can bring to policy debates in areas where the rights of the disadvantaged are involved or at risk. This year, PILCH has also strengthened its ties with the community sector, by offering free membership of PILCH to community legal centres. There are now 21 community legal centres as members of PILCH, and I look forward to PILCH maintaining strong, mutually beneficial relationships with these organisations. Ebsworth & Ebsworth, Sparke Helmore and the Law Institute of Victoria have also become members of PILCH this year and we recognise their membership as a concrete demonstration of their commitment to pro bono. I would like to particularly thank the National Australia Bank and Arnold Bloch Leibler for generously contributing $5,000 each to the PILCH Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic. This support has contributed greatly to the financial survival and wellbeing of the Clinic. I would like to acknowledge and thank their representatives on the PILCH Board – David Krasnostein of the National Australia Bank and Peter Seidel of Arnold Bloch Leibler – whose efforts were instrumental in procuring that support. This year, there have been some changes to the PILCH Board. I would like to thank Andrew Blogg of Aitkin Walker & Strachan and Peter Calliard of Tabcorp Holdings Ltd who have resigned from the Board, for their contribution and commitment to PILCH. I would like to welcome Robert Jamieson of Blake Dawson Waldron to the Board and thank Stephen Sawer of Phillips Fox who ably took up a position as Board member during the temporary absence of Fiona McLeay of Clayton Utz. I extend thanks to all members of the Board, whose commitment and expertise have been critical to the development of PILCH. Ian Walker – President 2
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Annual Report 2004 â 2005 - pilch

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Annual Report 2004 â 2005 - pilch