Volunteer Family Lawyers Needed

Women's Legal Service is currently calling for applications for volunteer lawyers for their evening advice sessions. It is a requirement that all volunteer solicitors are female family lawyers with at least 1 year recent post admission experience and a current practising certificate.

The role involves attending a once off induction evening and evening advice sessions once a month either on Monday or Wednesday from 6pm-8pm. Women's Legal Service offers free legal advice and support for women throughout Queensland. Many WLS clients experience domestic violence and multiple forms of disadvantage. Located in Annerley, the service is run by women for women.

If you would like to apply, please forward your current CV and a few sentences outlining your interest to the Volunteer Coordinator, Katie Petrie, at kpetrie@wlsq.org.au. For more information either email Katie or call her on 3392 0644.

Our Campaign

Help Fund The Answer is the result of a landmark decision by Women’s Legal Service to say ‘enough is enough’. After 20 years of chronic under funding, the Service is – for the first time in its history – speaking out against unacceptable statistics.

• More women are killed by their partners in Queensland than in any other state
• Sexual violence affects almost 1 in 5 Australian women
• Physical violence affects at least 1 in 3 Australian women
• 97% of rapists in our society are male, 80% are known to the victim and 54%-62% occur within the home
• Almost 1 in 4 children in Australia has witnessed violence against their mother or stepmother

Women’s Legal Service has to regularly turn women away because the need is so great and the funding is so poor. Sadly, the crisis is about to get worse. Recently, the community-based non-profit organisation had to reduce many of its services. This means more women will be turned away than ever before.

We need urgent action to protect vulnerable women

Join the campaign online at http://helpfundtheanswer.com.au

Significant Reductions to Service - October 2011

The Women’s Legal Service regrets to advise that due to chronic underfunding, we have been forced to make significant reductions to our services.

Our reduced opening hours are:

Evening advice sessions
Monday and Wednesday                         6.00pm to 8.00pm

Telephone advice service
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday              9.30am to 1.30pm
Wednesday                                            9.30am to 11:30am

General office hours
Monday to Thursday                               9.00am to 5.00pm

Background

This is the first time in twenty seven years of operation that WLS has been forced to reduce its hours of service.

WLS sincerely regrets any hardship that the reduction in service delivery may cause women in Queensland and continues to pursue funding opportunities in the hope of restoring services to their previous levels.

We are very concerned about the impact that the cuts will have on women in need of legal assistance and support. Stay tuned for details of a fundraising campaign we are launching very soon. The campaign will include details on how everyone in the community can help.

Put Safety First in Family Law

Put Safety First in Family Law is a Women’s Legal Services Australia’s campaign calling for the Australian Government to reform family law to ensure it works to keep women and children safe.

The Attorney-General has now introduced the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011 into Parliament.

Service Closure Dates

The office will be closed on the following gazetted public holidays in 2012:

Friday 06 April (Good Friday)

Monday 09 April ( Easter Monday)

Wednesday 25 April (Anzac Day)

Monday 7 May (Labour Day)

Monday 11 June (Queen's Diamond Jubilee)

Wednesday 15 August (People's Show Day)

Monday 1 October (Queen's Birthday)