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BigLaw firm, CLCs combine to launch free wills clinic in WA
A national law firm and a number of community legal services and pro bono lawyers have joined forces to provide free wills for First Nations Peoples in the East Kimberley in Western Australia.
Lauren Croft
The clinic is facilitated by Law Access in collaboration with Aboriginal Family Legal Services, Legal Aid WA, Kimberley Community Legal Services, and national law firm Barry Nilsson (BN) and visited Kalumburu on 12 June, Halls Creek on 13 and 14 June, and Kununurra on 15 and 16 June.
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This clinic is the third free legal clinic, organised as part of a collaboration between Law Access, Community Legal WA and Aboriginal Family Legal Services, as well as pro bono lawyers, to improve access to justice for First Nations Peoples.
BN wills and estates lawyers Emma Blay and Gabrielle Brown are taking part in the East Kimberley project — and Ms Blay said increasing the availability of community legal services to regional and remote First Nations Peoples would make a meaningful difference.
“We want to ensure individuals can take care of future generations through legal property transfer and caretaking provisions for children, and which is also undertaken in a culturally respectful way, taking into account customary laws and protocols,” she said.
“Our mission over the coming week is to break down barriers by providing free wills to meet the unmet legal needs of First Nations Peoples within remote Indigenous communities in Australia.
“As a firm, we are pleased to be extending our legal support to First Nations communities — a commitment that is embedded in our core business through our Impact Project and pro bono practice.”
Within the past year, BN’s Impact Project has provided pro bono legal representation to the family of an Aboriginal man who died in custody, community support to remote First Nations students and progressing reconciliation through restoring traditional place names.
Principal and head of pro bono and responsible business at the firm Katie Swain said BN was pleased to be able to support this important collaborative community legal project.
“As a firm, we are committed to providing free community legal services, with a strong focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This commitment is embedded in our core business through our dedicated pro bono and responsible business arm, the Impact Project,” she said.
“BN’s pro bono practice has contributed an estimated 8,200 hours of pro bono work valued at more than $2.5 million in FY23. Our wills and estate team, including Emma and Gabrielle, have been heavily involved in pro bono, with Emma receiving our annual impact project award for her tremendous contribution to community legal services.
“We are proud to facilitate greater access to estate and guardianship protections for First Nations Peoples by sending our wills and estates lawyers to the East Kimberley for this clinic.”
