Legal practice in regional, rural and remote Australia

The ANU Legal Workshop is participating in efforts to address the dramatic need for lawyers in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia. The Legal Workshop is contributing by:

•  facilitating and promoting law graduate legal practice experience placements in RRR Australia.

• increasing awareness of law graduates about the pressing need for lawyers in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia, and

About 20% of students undertaking the ANU Legal Workshop Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice are based in a regional, rural or remote (RRR) area. In addition to course work GDLP students undertake  legal practice experience . Legal practice experience is an excellent way for students to explore their legal practice interests.

During the GDLP students are approaching the point where they will qualify for admission to legal practice and most GDLP students are able to make a significant contribution in the workplace during placement. In some cases the placement results in an offer of employment.

ANU Legal Workshop initiatives

Placement project
The Legal Workshop is partnering with the National Association of Community Legal Centres in the law graduates RRR CLC placement pilot project and is providing some financial assistance to enable students to participate.

Please see our Law Graduates for Community Legal Centres in Rural Australia Project  for further information.

An overview of the issues

Lawyer Drought , ABC Radio National Law Report, 14th July 2009 (includes transcript and audio).

Report into the Rural, Regional and Remote Areas Lawyers Survey , prepared by the Law Council of Australia and the Law Institute of Victoria, July 2009.
 
Recruitment and Retention of Lawyers in Rural, Regional and Remote NSW, A Literature Review , written by Trish Mundy for the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre, July 2008.

Some synergies between practical legal training and recruitement and retention of CLC staff in regional, rural and remote areas, paper  by Judy Harrison presented in the Go Bush Young Lawyer! session of Just is as Just does - CLCs working for Justice, 2008 National Association of Community Legal Centres Conference, Darwin, 18 August 2009.

JAPA: Justice Access Programs Alert, March 2009, No.6, NSW Law and Justice Foundation Special Issues – Rural, Regional and Remote Programs .

Looking for RRR legal practice jobs

For jobs in Community Legal Centres Australia wide:
You can receive job notices from CLCs around Australia by sending a blank email to the National Association of Community Legal Centres Bulletin Board mailing list .

For jobs in New South Wales:
Check the NSW Law Society, Regional Law Societies website

For jobs in the Northern Territory:
Check the NT Law Society website  

Also check the NT Government website

For jobs in Queensland:
Check the Queensland Legal Aid Regional Solicitor Program

Also check the Queensland Legal Aid Positions Vacant

And the Queensland Legal Staff website

For jobs in Tasmania:
Check the Tasmanian Law Society website  

For jobs in Western Australia
Western Australia Country Lawyers Program