Report to NLAF
1. Meeting of members of the NLAF Employment Law Services Working Group
The working group met on 3 February 2011.
2. Activities / outcomes
- Map the current provision of employment law services in both the public and private legal sector of NSW.
The working group considered a draft table that lists free employment law services by region across NSW. The working group agreed to amend the table to clarify the scope of assistance provided by various legal services (information, advice and minor assistance / representation) and to include information about legal services provided by law firms on a pro bono basis. - Map the expressed demand for employment law services in disadvantaged communities across NSW, including mapping the levels of assistance (information, advice & minor assistance and representation) that is required.
The working group considered a diagram that illustrates the demand for legal services and the capacity of public legal assistance providers to meet that demand. - Engage in information and knowledge sharing initiatives relating to employment law services for socially excluded people in NSW and elsewhere.
Simon Howard has commended employment with Legal Aid NSW as a solicitor working with the Legal Aid NSW Employment Law Project. The objective of the project is to increase the capacity of lawyers across the community and justice sector to provide advice and minor assistance to clients (including representation at conciliation conferences).
The working group discussed the ways that it could work together with Simon and his role in the project. - Develop strategies to increase and improve access to employment law services for socially excluded people in NSW, including:
- strategies that make use of and leverage off existing resources including collaborative initiatives within the legal services sector; and
- strategies (outlined in order of priority) that require additional resources and advocate for those resources and services.
The working group discussed a proposal to increase capacity of the sector to provide assistance in employment law matters to certain disadvantaged groups in the community. The proposal involves CLC and / or Legal Aid NSW civil lawyers ‘briefing’ pro bono lawyers through PILCH to act in employment law matters, in particular, in providing assistance or representation at conciliation conferences. It also includes identifying systemic issues and building a picture of the resources required to provide these services. This includes the possibility of advocating for the establishment of a specialist free employment law service in NSW.
The Working Group has planned to meet again at the end of March 2011 at Legal Aid NSW.
Representatives from Jobwatch and Victorian Federation of Community Legal Centres will be invited to the meeting to discuss the services provided by their respective organisations / member organisations and their experiences in dealing with demand for employment law services.
Monique Hitter
Chair
March 2011
