Fremantle CLC

FREMANTLE COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

Level 1, Suite 31 Fremantle Malls, 35 William Street Fremantle 6160

fremantle.wa.gov.au/fclc fclc@fremantle.wa.gov.au

Fremantle Community Legal Centre provides a range of legal and non-legal services to low income members of the local community. We are a non-profit organisation and have been operating for more than 30 years, managed by the City of Fremantle. Our aim is to provide clients with a service that is specific to their needs. We promote basic human rights including: affordable housing, access to reasonable living standards, equality, dignity. With this aim in mind, we provide clients with a variety of support services to resolve legal, economic or social issues.

Volunteering

Which areas of law will clerks be exposed to? Day Service generalist legal service with a focus on family and domestic violence: • restraining orders • family law (parenting, property, and divorce) • criminal injuries compensation • care and protection • tenancy; and • welfare rights Evening Legal Service provided by local private solicitors on a pro-bono basis. Assistance is limited to a one-off appointment. The assistance offered is for clients who would not ordinarily be eligible to access FCLC’s day service or is for legal matters that FCLC does not provide advice or assistance on. : • Family law (children, property and divorce) • Employment law; • Minor criminal law; • Wills & estates; • Civil (including debt); • Personal injuries; • Restraining orders; and • Extraordinary driver’s licences

What kind of tasks do student volunteers undertake? Day Service: • (Subject to court COVID directions) - shadowing lawyers at Fremantle

Magistrates Court, Family

Court and Children’s Court for restraining order duty lawyer service and referrals from Fremantle Family

Violence Service; • Sitting in client appointments and file note taking; • Undertaking legal research; • Drafting of legal documents (including letters and court documents); and • Front admin support: initial client enquiries (answering phones and walk-ins) and providing referrals. Evening Legal Service: • File note taking

What are the skills/benefits of taking a position at your CLC? •Greater understanding of various court processes and procedures and advocacy; •Greater understanding of relevant legislation (including but not limited to Restraining

Orders Act 1997, Family

Court Act 1975, Family Law

Act 1997, Criminal Injuries

Compensation Act 2003,

Residential Tenancies Act 1987); •Legal drafting and legal research skills; •Communication & time management skills; •Understanding of working with vulnerable clients including clients who are victims of family and domestic violence, are experiencing homelessness, financial disadvantage, disability, mental health issues or other personal circumstances that limit their access to justice. Do you have opportunities for courtroom work/advocacy? Shadowing lawyers subject to court covid directions. Do you offer any opportunities to do PLT? Subject to Principal Solicitor’s, Judy McLean’s, discretion.

Applications

How can students apply? Students can express their interest by sending a covering letter and their CV to fclc@fremantle. wa.gov.au • HR contact email: Laura Sirolli (Legal Assistant) at fclc@fremantle.wa.gov.au

What does your recruitment/interview process consist of? Students who are successful in the first round of the selection process (we get a lot of applications) will be invited to attend our volunteer intake day, where they will (in groups) meet FCLC staff and hear more about our centre and have the opportunity to ask questions about the day service and evening legal service. What attributes do you look for in an applicant? Students applying for the day service are expected to volunteer for a full day once per week and for one semester (often students wish to continue volunteering for longer, which can occur, subject to Principal Solicitor’s discretion). We don’t require students to have any prior experience volunteering at a community legal centre or experience working in our practice areas, just a good attitude and willingness to learn.

What advice do you have for students looking to apply? Spend some time on your cover letter and make it personable. Always double check for spelling and grammar.

Roughly how many positions are available for students in 2022? FCLC won’t be doing another intake until Semester 2 of 2022. Depending on how many previous students wish to stay on, there will be anywhere from roughly 2 - 4 positions available for the day service on each day of the week.