The Law Council of Australia is marking National Pro Bono Day by calling on the next Federal Government to better support the many lawyers who give up their time to offer help to Australians free of charge.
Law Council of Australia President, Stuart Clark AM, said the pro bono work performed by lawyers was a unique aspect of the profession.
“There is no other profession on earth with such a concerted and collaborative culture of helping others for free,” Mr Clark said.
“Australian lawyers give away literally hundreds of thousands of pro bono work hours every year to those who have no one else to turn to and cannot afford to pay for legal services.
However, Mr Clark warned against a mistaken attitude that pro bono is a substitute for properly funded legal aid services.
“Legal aid services, including Community Legal Centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, already significantly rely on pro bono lawyers,” Mr Clark noted.
The Law Council, along with the support of many legal and community organisations, has launched a campaign this week, calling on the Federal Government to properly fund legal aid.
The Legal Aid Matters campaign is holding events in every major capital, raising public awareness about the crisis in legal aid and the urgent need for the Federal Government to invest an additional $350 million to give proper access to justice for ordinary Australians.
“Legal aid is the backbone of a modern, functioning justice system, but its funding is in crisis,” Mr Clark said.
National Pro Bono Day will be marked by events held around the country that celebrate the contribution of lawyers and highlight the need for greater recognition and support of their important public service.