About legal assistance
Not a substitute for adequate legal aid funding
The Bar Association's legal assistance schemes operate at the coalface, offering legal services to people in need of help. These schemes embody and reflect the strongly held view of the Bar that a person's rights and access to justice should not be diminished because they have little or no money.
Programmes
LawAccess NSW
New South Wales has a 'one stop shop' providing access to legal services and assistance. Learn More >>
Legal Assistance Referral Scheme (LARS)
LARS aims to provide legal assistance for free or at reduced rates to persons who would not otherwise be able to obtain legal assistance without suffering severe financial hardship. LARS is financially assisted by the Public Purpose Fund, which is administered through the NSW Attorney General's Department. More >>
Duty Barrister Scheme
The Bar Association operates the Duty Barrister Scheme in the Local and District courts of NSW. Barristers are rostered each day on site.
Learn More >>
A number of courts provide court-appointed legal assistance schemes, which operate on the basis that referrals are made BY THE COURT if to do so is in the interests of the administration of justice. The NSW Bar Association is not involved in these referrals but provides to these courts a list of barristers who have offered to assist.
Federal Court
The Federal Court Rules set out the procedures governing court appointed
referrals for legal assistance. The central aspects of the scheme are
embodied in Order 80 of the Federal Court Rules.
Federal Magistrates Court
Part 12 of the Federal Magistrates Court Rules establishes a scheme to facilitate the provision of legal assistance to parties who are otherwise unable to obtain assistance where the Court determines it is in the best interests of the administration of justice to do so.
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales operates a scheme to facilitate the provision of legal assistance in appropriate cases where the court determines it is in the administration of justice to do so. The central aspects of the scheme are embodied in Part 66A of the Supreme Court rules.
District Court of New South Wales
The District Court of New South Wales operates a scheme to facilitate the provision of legal assistance in appropriate cases where the court determines it is the administration of justice to do so. The central aspects of the scheme are embodied in Part 28C of the District Court rules.
UTAS & ADRAS The Australian Government has established the Unlawful Termination Assistance Scheme (UTAS) and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Scheme (ADRAS) as part of the introduction of the WorkChoices legislation.
