Over the past year, WK staff contributed over 2,500 hours to volunteering at our pro bono clinics. We provide regular volunteers for clinics with Justice Connect, LawRight, Kingsford Legal Centre, Seniors Rights Service NSW, Caxton Legal Centre, Refugee Legal and Marrickville Legal Centre.
Clinic Appointments
Hours Towards Clinics
Marrickville Legal Centre
Through the Marrickville Legal Centre (MLC) clinic, our lawyers provide free legal advice to people experiencing social and economic disadvantage. Over the past year, 11 WK volunteers have contributed 170 hours to this clinic.
Marcus Vella, Senior Associate
“I have seen first-hand the very real impact you can have on the lives of those you assist. Given the variety of matters at MLC, you get a fantastic opportunity to learn new areas of law, and most importantly, to be the voice of help and direction in times of crisis for those in need."
Seniors Rights Service
One in six older Australians have reported experiencing abuse in the last 12 months. Through our clinic with Seniors Rights Service NSW, our lawyers provide advice to older people across NSW on a range of legal matters such as guardianship, wills and estates, financial abuse, consumer issues and discrimination, helping to protect and advance the rights of older persons.
Tracy Chan, Associate
“It’s hard to put into words how much of an impact you can have on someone’s life by just sharing your time. At Seniors Rights Service, you learn how much of a difference you make when your client feels like they are being heard. It is truly a rewarding experience to see my senior clients overcome their most vulnerable moments through the assistance and support we provide at Seniors Rights Service."
Kingsford Legal Centre
This year, our Sydney-based lawyers contributed nearly 250 hours to providing one-on-one legal advice at Kingsford Legal Centre’s evening advice clinic. This clinic provides free legal assistance to South-Eastern Sydney community members on a range of different issues including victim’s compensation, discrimination, domestic violence, housing, employment and criminal law. Alongside the fortnightly evening advice clinic, this partnership saw us receiving numerous matter referrals, and providing one secondee to assist them with their vital frontline legal service.
“It is an invaluable opportunity to assist clients from all socio-economic backgrounds in times of need when they are experiencing legal issues. By advising clients on a pro bono basis, I have seen the appreciation that they show when receiving professional help in particularly stressful times, where they often have few options in seeking a helping hand.
I am glad and honoured to be able to assist in this way, and to help ensure that all members of society can access the legal assistance that they need and to be part of facilitating a more equitable legal system.”
Liam Zisis, Associate
“Thank you to WK who came on board to provide ongoing and regular support to our evening advice roster. This assistance is critical in ensuring we don’t need to cancel evening appointments if some volunteers can’t make it and we have loved getting to know the crew. Our relationship deepened in 2023 with WK taking on a matter when we did not have capacity, as well as providing us with a secondee solicitor in December. It was wonderful to have former KLC student Olivia Tan back at KLC for this secondment, and we thank WK for making this possible for us."
Kingsford Legal Centre
Self-Representation Service (Justice Connect and LawRight)
22 WK lawyers have provided assistance to self-represented litigants navigating the Federal Court in bankruptcy and employment cases.
In Brisbane, our volunteers regularly attended LawRight's Self Representation Clinic, offering guidance to litigants navigating court procedures. Our volunteers in the Sydney and Melbourne offices also assisted Self-Represented litigants through our ongoing partnership with Justice Connect.
Mia Dowie, Senior Associate
“Working primarily for large commercial insurers in disputes with similarly sophisticated insureds, it is not often that I get to do work that genuinely has an impact on people’s lives and helps those in need. Volunteering at the Self Rep Service has me doing just that, so while it can be challenging, I am proud to be making a difference and using my skills to help others in times of crisis.”
Caxton Legal Centre
We were pleased to launch two new clinics for our Brisbane team last year, through our partnership with Caxton Legal Centre.
Wotton Kearney acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, and pay our respects to Elders past and present.
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