Annual Report 11-12 - Fitzroy Legal Service

2
Convenor’s Report
Vas Eliades – Convenor, FLS
FLS is in its 40th year this year.
It is an iconic community legal service
in Melbourne, and has for 40
years delivered a range of services
to its constituents. It has also been
instrumental in law reform, at the
leading edge of outreach social action
and delivered on-line and print
resources, which aid access to legal
information.
Here are some of the main events
of the 2011-2012 year:
• In February, the Law Handbook
Online had its one-millionth
visit to the site. The occasion was
celebrated at an event attended by
Ged Kearney, President ACTU,
and Cr Geoff Barbour, Mayor
City of Yarra, and a number of
friends from the legal sector and
our staff and volunteers.
• The Activist Rights website was
redeveloped and launched at
RMIT together with the RMIT
Human Rights Department. The
event was attended by 100 people
and was a great success.
• The Criminal Records Discrimination
in Employment film, made
by Melbourne University students
and facilitated by Fitzroy Legal
Service, was launched in April
at the Loop Bar. The evening
included a number of presentations
from prominent community
members as well as two screenings
of the short film due to the
large turnout.
• We supported the Occupy Melbourne
participants with legal
advice, media support and representation.
Meghan Fitzgerald
did an amazing job securing and
coordinating pro bono advice and
Most wanted
......Services offered......
Day Legal Advice and
Casework Service
Monday to Friday from 9.00 am
to 5.00 pm. BY APPOINTMENT
ONLY.
Night Legal Advice
Service
Monday to Friday – 6.30 pm
to 8.00 pm. No appointments are
taken. Clients are seen on a first
in first served basis, except where
clients are matched to volunteers
with specific expertise. Volunteers
and the Night Service Coordinator
staff the Night Service.
Family Law Clinic
Thursday evenings (Fitzroy). By
appointment only. Advice regarding
divorces, separation, children and
intervention orders. Advice on property
matters is not provided.
legal representation from Allens
and Ron Merkel QC.
• Kaz Gurney assumed the role of
Principal Solicitor in an acting capacity,
following the resignation
of the Principal solicitor, Sarah
Nicholson. Kaz led the Practice
through very busy, and often short
staffed times throughout 2012.
• In July 2011, the Publications
Co-ordinator role was successfully
handed over from Marlene
Pitrone, who had done a great job
with the Law Handbook Online
as well as the Law 4 Community
website. Fabiola Superina continues
as a member of the Publications
Team and has been joined
by Lea Croyden.
• FLS is currently planning its 40th
Birthday celebrations - set for
December 2012.
• The Night Service continued its
excellent provision of free legal
advice delivered by a wonderful
pool of volunteers and with
excellent support and training
from Julie Fletcher and the night
Richmond Outreach
Each Tuesday from 6.30 pm
to 8.00 pm. Appointments are
required. The outreach program
operates from the North Richmond
Community Health Centre, 23 Lennox
St Richmond, Ph: 9419 3744.
Neighbourhood Justice
Centre
Casework and advice provided 5
days a week at Victoria’s first integrated
court/tribunal/support service
centre.
FLS Web & Publications
FLS Publications publishes and
distributes a range of material including
the Law Handbook.
Online resources include Law
Handbook, Law4Community,
ActivistRights and the Law4Education
portal, a service to complement
knowledge about the law in high
schools and TAFE.
Vas Eliades and Sandra Mackay
coordinators, Adrian Snodgrass,
Peter Cotter and Mark Rawlings.
• The Committee of Management
successfully dealt with the
challenges arising from staff
issues at FLS, which adversely
impacted upon income and upon
staff workloads. The Committee
also instituted a Health Check for
the organisation to ensure that
governance and management processes
could be assessed for the
wellbeing of the future of FLS.
The Committee’s dedication to the
wellbeing of FLS and its future
was evident in the way it has dealt
with the challenges of 2012.
• Finally I want to thank the Management,
Publications, Finance
and Employment committees,
EO, staff and volunteers who
helped make all this possible.
Their commitment to pursuing
the rights of disadvantaged and
marginalised members of our
community and their passion and
work ethic has kept FLS operating
well through a challenging
and turbulent year.
FLS Practice
The Practice specialises in
criminal law, assistance to victims
of crime, infringements, and family
matters. It is largely funded from
Legal Aid grants. By appointment
only.
Social Justice
Advocacy
FLS provides community legal
education sessions and programs
around a range of legal issues. The
service also works with community
members and other organisations to
advocate for changes to policy and
law to better protect disadvantaged
groups and improve the accessibility
of the legal system.
Financial Counselling
Financial counselling is available
through the Fitzroy Carlton Financial
Counselling Service.
FLS Charter
Vision:
To strive towards a just and
accessible legal system.
Values:
• Empowerment
• Participation
• Integrity
• Quality
Unpaid help
Management
Committee Members
• Convenor: Vas Eliades
• Treasurer: Bruce McBain
• Secretary/Public Officer:
Adrian Kennedy
• Other Members:
––
Serge Sztajt
––
Natalia Hanley
––
Fiona Delahunt
––
Stelvio Vido
––
Jennifer Balint
• Finance Sub Committee:
––
Albert Kuan
––
Bruce McBain
––
Robin Inglis
• Publications Sub Committee:
––
Lea Croyden
––
Anna Landy
––
Brian Wright
––
Emily Clark
––
Fabiola Superina
––
Fleur Bitcon
––
Cathy Beadnell
––
Sandra McKay
––
Sarah Zadeh
• Employment Sub Committee:
––
Fiona Delahunt
––
Natalia Hanley
––
Stelvio Vido
• Life Members:
––
Sue Botthman
––
Brian Collingburn
––
John Finlayson
––
Julian Gardner
––
Tessa Hay
––
Robin Inglis
––
Michael Kingston
––
Henrik Lassen
––
Trevor Williamson
––
Brian Wright
Statistics 2011-12
Information 1086
Advices 2928
Cases opened 846
Cases closed 871
Community Legal Education
Projects 24
Law Reform Projects 7
Mission:
FLS operates as a medium of change by working holistically, innovatively
and with respect:
• To empower people before the law through education and action
• To close the gap between law and justice
• To achieve greater substantive equality between people
• To be an avenue for community participation.
Objectives:
1. To maintain and where possible enhance quality and accessible service
that meets legal needs of the community
2. Engage in a range of social action activities utilising analysis, collaboration
and community participation
3. To maintain and where possible enhance effective support structure
consisting of effective management structure and internal administration
structures
4. To maintain and where possible enhance quality committed staff and
opportunities for volunteers
5. To maintain and where possible enhance the funding base productively
and efficiently
6. To maintain organisational independence and long term viability
Salaried staff
• Executive Officer: Robin Inglis
• Administration Officer:
Sophie Vasiliadis (resigned 19
June 2012), Clare Winder
(commenced 19 June)
• Finance Officer: Albert Kuan
• Volunteer Coordinator:
Julie Fletcher
• Legal Projects Officer:
Belinda Lo (resigned end October
2011), Meghan Fitzgerald
(commenced October 2011)
• Community Development
Officer: Ela Ogru (commenced
January 2012)
• Drug Outreach Lawyer:
Natasha Wolan
• Solicitor Advocate: Jane Vasey
• Principal Lawyer: Sarah Nicholson
(resigned 30 May 2012),
Kaz Gurney (commenced as interim
Principal from April 2012)
• Locum Principal Solicitor:
Vivienne Topp
• Family Lawyer: Amre Levy
• NJC Lawyers: Kaz Gurney,
Lynne Thomas, Renee Wilson
(commenced 31 April 2012)
• Trainees: Cat Moran (completed
2 March 2012), Jessica Porter
(commenced 5 March 2012)
• Night Service Coordinators:
Peter Cotter, Adrian Snodgrass
and Mark Rawlings
• Web and Publications Team:
Lea Croyden, Fabiola Superina,
Tuvan Vuong
• Law Handbook Fundraising:
Sarah Zadeh
• Law Handbook Editor:
Cathy Beadnell
• Paralegal Support: Erin Buckley
and Anna Landy