Welfare Rights Centre

The Housing Legal Clinic was established by the Welfare Rights Centre SA in July 1983 with funding from the Department of Housing to: reduce the marginalisation of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and reduce the number of public and private tenants at risk of eviction from becoming homeless, through the facilitation of their acce... ss to pro bono legal services. In its second year, the Housing Legal Clinic (HLC) was given the thumbs up following an extensive evaluation by consultant Dr David Kilner. The Evaluation Report stated "Overall, it is clear the establishment of the Housing Legal Clinic has been a transforming experience - for the clients, for the volunteer lawyers, for the centres which support the homeless and for the law firms providing pro bono services." In the clinic's four years approximately $2m worth of pro bono service has been created by the participating law firms, with more than 1,500 clients using the service. The HLC is managed by the Welfare Rights Centre SA and operates through the provision of pro bono legal services to clients at seven homelessness services located in Adelaide. The participating law firms are Minter Ellison, Donaldson Walsh, Kain C+C, Fisher Jeffries, Andersons Solicitors, Duncan Basheer Hannon and Tindall Gask Bentley. Criminal and Family Law assistance is provided by Michael Dadds and Associates, George Mancini and Johnston Withers. The host organisations are the Magdalene Centre, Byron Place Community Centre, the Hutt Street Centre, Catherine House, UnitingCare Wesley Port Adelaide, AnglicareSA Morphett Vale and the Service to Youth Council.Read More