Applying for help through LawHelp
LawHelp is a referral service that connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations with legal support.
Application process
To apply for help through LawHelp:
- check if your corporation is eligible for LawHelp
- seek approval to apply for LawHelp on behalf of your corporation
- get relevant documents together and apply online.
If you need help to do the application, contact the secretariat on 1800 622 431 or email LawHelp@oric.gov.au
The LawHelp secretariat will then look at your application.
They’ll contact you:
- if they need to clarify anything
- when a lawyer agrees to handle your matter.
To work out if a corporation is non-profit, the LawHelp secretariat will look at the corporation’s:
- objectives (in its rule book)
- status as a public benevolent institution or deductible gift recipient, or if it has the benefit or any other taxation concessions normally applied by the Australian Taxation Office to not-for-profit organisations
- level of government funding and gross income
- income and expenditure
- business and day-to-day activities.
Application privacy
All applications are treated as confidential.
However, while your application is with ORIC's LawHelp secretariat, it could be subject to disclosure through:
- court discovery
- subpoena
- requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
You may not be able to claim legal professional privilege for:
- the application
- any other information held by the LawHelp secretariat or assessment panel.
Legal professional privilege is a rule that says confidential communications between a lawyer and their client cannot be disclosed.
LawHelp panel assessment
The next step is for a LawHelp assessment panel to look at your application. The panel has:
- a government lawyer
- a volunteer lawyer
- an independent legal adviser.
The panel will decide if your application will go to a lawyer or law firm within 21 days.
If your corporation is already registered under the CATSI Act, they’ll consider:
- whether the corporation has already received help from another source
- the corporation's rule book
- annual reports lodged with ORIC.
LawHelp panel decision
The LawHelp assessment panel may:
- approve all or part of the application
- decline the application.
They may also decide to place a condition on the application. For example, they may limit the number of hours that can be spent on a particular matter.
In extreme cases, the panel can approve an application outside the guidelines.
All panel decisions are final.
Successful applications
If you’re successful:
- LawHelp will send your application and supporting documents to a lawyer
- the lawyer will contact you to set up legal help.
Usually, the help is in writing, such as in a letter or a contract. The lawyer may decide other actions are better.
Lawyers are mainly in major cities and contact will be by phone, email or letter.
Unsuccessful applications
If your application doesn’t qualify for help:
- the LawHelp secretariat will return your application to us
- we’ll send you a written explanation of the reason for the decision.
The secretariat keeps a copy of applications to track LawHelp’s success.
LawHelp may suggest you seek help from another bro bono organisation.