Pro bono publico, usually shortened to pro bono, is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. The term traditionally referred to provision of legal services by legal professionals for people who are unable to afford them. More recently, the term is used to describe specialist services provided by any professional free of charge to an individual or community.
Redfern is an inner southern suburb of Sydney located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. Strawberry Hills is a locality on the border with Surry Hills. The area experienced the process of gentrification and is subject to extensive redevelopment plans by the state government, to increase the population and reduce the concentration of poverty in the suburb and neighbouring Waterloo.
Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial. This article describes the development of legal aid and its principles, primarily as known in Europe, the Commonwealth of Nations and in the United States.
The Eastern Suburbs is the eastern metropolitan region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) is an Australian organisation that advocates for action to reduce poverty and inequality, and is the peak body for the community services sector in Australia. It was formed in 1956.
The Faculty of Law and Justice of the University of New South Wales is a law school situated in Sydney, Australia. It is widely regarded as one of Australia's top law schools. The 2024 QS World University Rankings rank the UNSW Law Faculty 12th in the world, first for undergraduate law in Australia, 2nd overall in Australia and 3rd in the Asia-Pacific region, and the 2021 Times Higher Education subject rankings also rank it second in Australia, making it the top ranked law school in New South Wales according to both tables, as well as being the top undergraduate Law school in the country.
George Newhouse is an Australian human rights lawyer and a former local councillor. He is the principal solicitor of the National Justice Project, a human rights and social justice legal service, and currently an Adjunct Professor of Law at Macquarie University. and at the University of Technology Sydney.
Virginia Margaret Bell is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. She was sworn in on 3 February 2009, and retired on 28 February 2021.
A community legal centre (CLC) is the Australian term for an independent not-for-profit organisation providing legal aid services, that is, provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. They provide legal advice and traditional casework for free, primarily funded by federal, state and local government. Working with clients who are mostly the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Australian society, they also work with other agencies to address related problems, including financial, social and health issues. Their functions may include campaigning for law reform and developing community education programs.
In Australia, domestic violence (DV) is defined by the Family Law Act 1975. Each state and territory also has its own legislation, some of which broadens the scope of that definition, and terminology varies. It has been identified as a major health and welfare issue. Family violence occurs across all ages and demographic groups, but mostly affects women and children, and at particular risk are three groups: Indigenous, young and pregnant women.
Renfrewshire Law Centre, or RLC, was a West Scottish local community-based non-For-Profit law centre that offered services to the people of Renfrewshire and surrounding areas of West Central Scotland, often free of charge.
Kingsford Legal Centre is an Australian not-for-profit legal centre. It is part of the network of Australian Community Legal Centres and also provides clinical legal education as part of the University of New South Wales Faculty of Law. It provides free advice to the residents of the Botany and Randwick local government areas, in subjects such as employment law, debts, victims compensation and domestic violence, as well as providing a statewide service for discrimination matters.
The Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) (ALS), known also as Aboriginal Legal Service, is a community-run organisation in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, founded in 1970 to provide legal services to Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders and based in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern. It now has branches across NSW and ACT, with its head office in Castlereagh Street, Sydney and a branch office in Regent Street, Redfern.
Paul Joseph Hugh McDermott is an Australian politician who was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the State Member for Prospect for the Labor Party at the 2015 New South Wales state election. Prior to entering Parliament he had a career as an international lawyer and university academic. Since 2023 he has served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General in the government of Chris Minns.
The Women's Legal Service NSW formerly the Women's Legal Resource Centre, is an independent, non-aligned, non-profit organisation funded by the Australian Commonwealth and state governments. It is part of the Community Legal Centre Network. WLS NSW promotes access to justice, particularly for women who are disadvantaged by their social or economic circumstances.
The Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services, also known as Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services and Archives, or simply Aboriginal Children's Services (ACS), is a community services organisation for Indigenous Australian children in Sydney, Australia.
The NSW Women's Refuge Movement began in 1974 with the establishment of Elsie Refuge in Glebe, NSW. Other refuges were established throughout the 1970s, operating within a feminist framework and responding to the needs of women and children escaping domestic violence. At first, the refuges were developed through volunteer effort and without government funding. Gradually the government took over funding of the refuges, with the states funding the buildings and the federal government funding the running costs. The NSW Women's Refuge Movement continued to provide services to women with diverse needs and to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Victim Assist Queensland (VAQ) is an agency of the Queensland Government Department of Justice and Attorney-General that provides information, advice and financial assistance to victims of violent crime and domestic violence throughout the State of Queensland. VAQ also overseas the implementation of and complaints under the Queensland Charter of Victims' Rights, provides court support, and coordinates interagency referrals including with the Queensland Police Service.
Marrickville Women's Refuge, also known as Jean's Place, was a women's support facility formally opened in April 1976. It was one of the earliest refuges to open in New South Wales as part of the original NSW Women's Refuge Movement in response to the need for specialised feminist housing and support services for women and children fleeing domestic violence, following that of Elsie Refuge and Bonnie Women's Refuge. Today, the refuge operates as a company limited by guarantee with the name Marrickville Women's Refuge Ltd, and is registered as a public benevolent institution. The refuge, whilst still known as Marrickville Women's Refuge, has been trading as the Aboriginal Women and Children's Crisis Service since 1 November 2014, after the implementation of the 'Going Home Staying Home' tendering program in New South Wales.
The Women's Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme, commonly referred to by its initialism WDVCAS, comprises a network of organisations in New South Wales which information, advocacy and safety planning for women and their children who are escaping from or in danger of domestic violence. It is a key frontline support service. The Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service is the New South Wales Government organisation that provides funding and support for the WDVCASes, and ensures that they are operating according to their mandate. It was established in South Australia in July 2015.
