South Australia’s pro-bono legal sector is set to get a boost with lawyers from both the Crown Solicitors’ Office (CSO) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to resume pro-bono work referred from JusticeNet.

A rule change that came into effect in 2021 meant that lawyers from the ODPP and CSO who wished to undertake pro-bono work would need to gain qualifications above and beyond those required for their day to day work.

Following discussions between the CSO and the Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council, the rules were changed, allowing the pro bono work to resume, with the rule change coming into effect this week.

Quotes

Attributable to Kyam Maher

I’d like to thank the Crown Solicitor and her staff, the Legal Practitioners Education and Admission Council and JusticeNet for their ongoing efforts to ensure this important work could continue.

My thanks also go to those dedicated lawyers working within both the CSO and ODPP who have gone above and beyond their regular work to provide this much needed service to those less fortunate and who will be able to do so again, thanks to this rule change.

Importantly, the rule change will not compromise the oversight of the legal profession in South Australia under the Legal Practitioners Act.

Up until the rule change, lawyers for the Crown and ODPP had provided pro bono work valued at more than $650,000, and I look forward to seeing this vital work continue.

Attributable to JusticeNet CEO Rebecca Ross

This is welcome news given the high volume of requests we have coming through for South Australians in need of pro bono assistance. Demand is currently outstripping the availability of our referral partners.

Pro bono work has been demonstrated to benefit both the community to whom it is available and the lawyers who undertake the work, we are delighted this will once again be available to Crown and DPP lawyers.