Monash University’s law service benefits the students who give out legal advice as well as the people in need who receive help.
By Sian Powell
February 27, 2024
Community Champion Award Finalist Monash University
–
A voice for the voiceless – 50 years of meeting diverse community needs
–
Monash law students learn on the job by helping needy clients with knotty legal problems, particularly issues of family violence that wind up in the family law system.
With a long history of helping struggling Victorians who are trying to represent themselves in court, the university’s Monash Law Clinics and South-East Monash Legal Service are two of the largest providers of free legal aid in the state, assisting 2831 clients in 2023.
“We can provide initial advice across the legal spectrum, but we’re focused on areas where there’s less in the way of other services that can be used by people facing those challenges,” says Monash law professor Jeff Giddings.
These clients often need legal advice along with the help of a mediator, he adds, and they need to understand the legal framework for any negotiations to proceed. They might be clients in violent situations, and the violence might be at the hands of relatives – not only partners, but sometimes adult children, Giddings adds.
Elderly clients can be exploited and manipulated by one or more of their children. These elderly citizens often seek assistance from health services, he says, so there are solid partnerships between community legal centres and community health services.
“The focus is on keeping the client safe, and acting in ways that will protect the legal interests of the client,” Giddings says. “Some of the results are fantastic.”
Monash law students have been working on real cases under supervision for nearly 50 years, including ongoing criminal cases.
One of Australia’s first community