The Law Society of New South Wales, in partnership with Legal Aid NSW, community legal centres, Justice Connect and the NSW Bar Association has launched the NSW Government’s Disaster Response Legal Service, which will provide free legal assistance to those affected by the tragic bushfires in NSW.
Richard Harvey, the President of the Law Society said: “In this time of great tragedy, we need to do all we can, as members of the NSW community and the legal profession, to assist those impacted by the bushfires who have lost so much.”
The Law Society’s statement also noted that many solicitors in the region may have been affected by the fires, and noted that the Law Society in partnership with Lawcover could assist in:
- Trust accounting;
- Professional support for loss of files; and
- Professional support in costs, ethics and regulatory compliance for any affected legal practice, as well as any wellbeing issues that may arise.
The President’s full statement is available here. Full information about the response efforts is available here.