Redfern Legal Centre is an independent, non-profit community centre established in 1977 and located in the Sydney inner-city suburb of Redfern

Redfern, New South Wales

Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...

. It is part of a network of four Inner Sydney region community legal centres, including the Inner City, Kingsford and Marrickville legal centres. The RLC is dedicated to promoting social justice and human rights. It provides free legal advice, referral and casework to disadvantaged people and groups who live with its catchment area, which extends to the Botany, Leichhardt and City of Sydney municipal areas. Many of those seeking assistance are ineligible for Legal Aid

Legal aid

Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people otherwise unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.A number of...

but still cannot afford private legal services. A very high proportion of the centre’s clients are from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. The RLC is dedicated to community legal education and advocates for the reform of inequalities in laws, the legal system, administrative practices and society as a whole.

Volunteers and pro-bono

The RLC relies heavily on volunteer labour and pro-bono assistance from legal professionals to service a heavy case-load. Daytime volunteers tend to be law students or members of the community. Night-time volunteers are solicitors and legal assistants who attend appointments and give legal advice. RLC estimates it attracts approximately 30 000 volunteer hours per year or the equivalent of $900,000 worth of services to the community each year.

Awards

RLC received the 2007 Human Rights Law Award from the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. In particular the award recognised the establishment of the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme which aims to provide women seeking restraining orders as a result of domestic violence with legal advice as well as any other support required (including housing, income support and counselling).