1. Collaboration and Innovation in NSW RRR Legal Services Judith Levitan, NLAF Jenny Lovric, Legal Aid NSW Helen McGowan, NACLC 5R 20 May 2012

2. Overview of presentation  NLAF (Judith Levitan)  NLAF RRR working group  Research about recruitment and retention of lawyers  Strategies to address recruitment and retention  NBN, mentoring and legal outreach services  Legal Aid NSW (Jenny Lovric)  Evidence based planning: CLSD, ROCP  Client focussed; cross sector support  NACLC 5R project (Helen McGowan)  Australian AG allocates funds  Western NSW as a pilot site (1-2 years)  Regional Coordinator’s work since February 2011  National observations comparing NSW with SA, Qld, NT

3. How we all connect NLAF Plenary / Cth Jurisdictional Forum NLAF Plenary / Cth Jurisdictional Forum CLSD RRR Working Group NACLC 5R Project CLC NSW CLC NSW NSW Law Society ALS Legal Aid NSW

6. NLAF RRR Working Group  Research about recruitment and retention of lawyers in RRR NSW  Strategies to address findings of research report  Human Resources initiatives  Professional Development initiatives  Further research  NBN Regional Legal Assistance Program

7. What is CLSD? Coalitions of regionally-based legal and non-legal services who work together to:  network and share information on services  identify & discuss unmet and emerging legal needs  through these discussions, partners then coordinate & collaborate on initiatives aimed at meeting those needs and improving referrals & access to legal services What is ROCP? Regular advice & minor assistance clinics provided by private practitioners or CLCs in remote locations in NSW where there is otherwise no access to free publicly funded services

8. CLSD & ROCP: using a social inclusion rationale Recent research indicates that disadvantage is becoming increasingly concentrated in some locations, reinforcing spatial inequality… Arguably, one of the strongest justifications supporting place- based approaches is that they enable the targeting of people experiencing multiple and inter-related forms of disadvantage and provide a platform for the delivery of a more integrated and holistic suite of services and supports. Dr Ian Byron Senior Advisor, Social Inclusion Unit Dept Prime Minister & Cabinet

9. CLSD: regional partnerships 2004: Central West & Northern Rivers 2006: Hunter & Albury/Wagga Wagga 2007: Central Coast & Central Tablelands 2008: Broken Hill and South Coast 2010: Wagga Wagga and Albury split 2012: Kempsey/Nambucca and Taree/Forster SOUTH COAST FROM 2008 CENTRAL WEST SOUTH COAST FAR WEST ALBURY WAGGA CENTRAL TABLELANDS

10. ROCP: clinics  Commenced 2009 in 5 locations  Expanded to 13 locations in 2011  Clinic locations chosen on basis of disadvantage and relative lack of access to free legal services  Currently merging with other providers (CLCs and Legal Aid outreach) to make regular

11. CLSD Strategies: how it works 1.Regional coalitions of key legal service providers 2.Improved referral mechanisms 3.Evidence-based planning of legal services 4.Improved access to pro bono 5.Regional Coordinators in each region + central coordination through CLSD Program Unit at Legal Aid NSW

12. CLSD Partners: who’s involved? Participants include:  Legal Aid NSW regional offices  Aboriginal Legal Services  Community Legal Centres  Local Courts  LawAccess NSW  Law & Justice Foundation of NSW  Pro bono law firm and Regional Law Society representatives  Aboriginal Programs (AG dpt and Dpt Aboriginal Affairs)  Financial Counselling Services  Domestic Violence, Tenancy, Youth, Migrant & Disability Services  Family Relationships Centres and Family Law Pathways Networks  Neighbourhood & Community Centres centres  Public libraries and Local Councils  State Govt agencies (Juvenile Justice, Fair Trading, State Debt, RMS …)  Commonwealth Govt agencies (Centrelink Aboriginal Community Engagement workers) & CSA

13. CLSD: Strategic Plans Strategic/Action Plans & CLSD initiatives Each region has plans based on an analysis of available data in each region South Coast/Central West & Far West Better engagement & increased services to Aboriginal people  Joint service outreach to communities, fines days, wills outreach Albury Better access to services in the Deniliquin area  Regular outreach to Deniliquin Hunter Improve the quality of information available about the law in the Hunter  Referral directory, Law Week expo Promote the availability of legal services in high-needs geographic areas  CLSD joint service weekly outreach clinic in Taree

14. Hastings, Kempsey & Greater Taree – Index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (SEIFA) Hastings, Kempsey & Greater Taree – Rate of matters per 1000 per annum

15. Hunter CLSD – Aboriginal Population Hunter CLSD – Rate of inquiries made by Aboriginal persons Maitland Cessnock Muswellbrook Singleton Raymond Terrace Dungog Newcastle Maitland Cessnock Muswellbrook Singleton Raymond Terrace Dungog Newcastle

16. Taree: population and disadvantage (ABS Census 2006)

17. Kempsey: population and disadvantage (ABS Census 2006)

18. Civil law rates of legal problems per 1000 people per annum from CLCs, Legal Aid NSW and LawAccess NSW SOURCE: Data for the three LGAs is from Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Data Digest Online (Beta), 2010 report

19. SuburbNumber of clients with debt Total debt in suburb $ Average debt $ Port Macquarie40814,928,442.911207.65 Kempsey20313,129,518.181540.87 Taree25003,635,488.221454.20 Wauchope798897,712.201124.97 Wingham466546,893.371173.60 Bowraville342633,900.551853.51 Purfleet167273,375.371636.98 Crescent Head132271,432.232056.30 Bellbrook82165,281.652051.63 NSW average1012.00 State Debt Recovery Office Debt - as at July 2011

20. CLSD: Outcomes Collaborative projects (funded) Shared training/CLE initiatives Enhanced coordination & networking Law reform input  Local issues identified as systemic, focus on RRR (eg FASD, VCT) Identify, report & advocacy on local/systemic unmet legal needs  Opportunity to have local legal needs and significant service gaps reported “up” to LA Executive, NLAF, AGs, MPs etc (eg employment law, need for contact centres, location gaps)

21. Australian Attorney General funds RRR projects  RRRLaw website developed by Law Council of Australia  5R Recruitment and retention of lawyers in publicly funded legal assistance services in rural, regional and remote Australia.  RRR CLC PLT project  Regional Innovations Program for Legal Services

22. Regional Coordinator’s work since February 2011  Raise profile of lawyers in Western NSW (RRRLaw, LSN journal, Law Week)  Reference group and Orana Law Society: CPD, social events  Individual support; welcome, weather, crisis  Participate in the NLAF RRR working group

23. National observations  Justice dialogue founded on respectful relationships and helping each other  Critical involvement of the private legal profession  Need involvement of paid project workers for executive tasks  Local solutions to mentoring, professional development and individual assistance.

24. Want to know more? Visit NLAF website www.nlaf.org.au Judith Levitan NLAF Project Manager: jlevitan@lawfoundation.net.au