Hobart Community Legal Service

I am just entering my twelfth year of volunteering with the Hobart Community Legal Service. In this time, I have risen from the role of a student volunteer to the position of President of the Committee of Management. I currently occupy the position of Vice-President of the Committee. My biggest achievement during my twelve year tenure has been a significant contribution to the digitalisaiton of the Tasmanian Law Handbook - a free and up to date legal database for all members of the community. I also had the pleasure of co-writing a chapter of the handbook with Magistrate Webster, which can be viewed here. 

The Hobart Community Legal Service plays a vital role in the community, providing legal assistance and information for those who may otherwise go without. Although legal services can be expensive, the HCLS is a free service, giving all members of the community support in negotiating the complex legal world.

I continue to volunteer as I believe that the values of fairness and justice in a modern society rely heavily on the rule of law. If an individual cannot understand and access the rule of law then they will be disadvantaged by the social bargain – experiencing all of the responsibilities of civil society without being able to fully enjoy the concomitant rights. Community legal services address this imbalance and, in this way, the education and assistance they provide are vital to maintaining the integrity and honour of the institutions of justice. 

For further information, please visit the Hobart Community Legal Service website.