Community Legal Centres and university researchers, including academics from UQ TC Beirne School of Law, are meeting on 1 June in Brisbane to ‘nut out’ a solution to the lack of funding to undertake research on the need for free legal help for people living in Queensland.
This event will give community legal centre lawyers and academics the opportunity to discuss the funding issue facing community legal centres in Queensland and develop research initiatives to keep these issues at the forefront of decision maker’s minds.
James Farrell, Director of Community Legal Centres Queensland commented, ‘We hope that bringing together dedicated and passionate people will develop new and innovative research projects. These initiatives will showcase the important work of community legal centres and the dire need for increased funding from governments. It will provide a forum for exchanging ideas and discussing issues and ways to progress with research in this field.’
The Roundtable will involve two panel discussions. The first panel will showcase examples of good partnerships and will see Associate Professor Tamara Walsh of the University of Queensland, Professor Jeff Giddings of Griffith University and Sue Garlick, Deputy Director of Queensland Public Law Clearing House talk about their work. The second panel will be on funding and how to find it and will feature Dr Sarah Flaim of UQ’s Business, Economics and Law Faculty, Harriett Carter from Strategic Grants and Amanda Shipway from the Department of Justice and Attorney General.
The opening address will be delivered by Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, Australian Law Reform Commission President. With a supercharged networking session and a post-event networking lunch, the roundtable will be a great event for legal professionals, researchers and community legal centre staff.
Mr Farrell went onto say, ‘It’s important that we learn from one another, and develop partnerships to garner as much support as possible to ensure community legal centres can continue to help those people who really need it.’
Monica Taylor, Director, UQ Pro Bono Centre, “Academic collaboration with frontline legal services is an ideal pairing. Not only does it satisfy universities’ third mission to engage with their communities, but it can help build a stronger evidence base about community legal centres, their clients and the legal problems they have.”
Community Legal Centres Queensland will jointly host the event with the National Association of Community Legal Centres, with support from the University of Queensland, and Corrs Chambers Westgarth. The ‘Research Partnership Roundtable‘will be the first of a number of research partnership roundtables that will be held across Australia. The cost of attending the event is $35 and you can register by going to: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/research-partnerships-roundtable-registration-24551188265?aff=ehomecard .
