The first Community Legal Centre in NSW opened in Redfern in 1977, two years after lawyers, volunteers, academics, social workers and community activists identified a need for accessible community legal services at the Community Control of Legal Services Conference. Since Redfern Legal Centre began - delivering a model for community legal access and services - CLCs are now operating throughout NSW offering legal advice and assistance to urban, regional, rural and remote people and communities. In 2014-2015, CLCs in NSW provided advice to 58,428 clients and delivered 74,754 advices. (CLCNSW) is the peak body for all CLCs in NSW. Our State Office is a small team providing support to, and representation for, our member Centres, in government and community fora. New South Wales has a network of 39 Community Legal Centres (CLCs), independent community organisations providing access to legal services throughout the state, with a particular focus on services to disadvantaged and marginalised people and communities, and matters in the public interest. CLCs have a distinctive role in the NSW community and legal sector by:
- Providing general legal advice and assistance for socially and economically disadvantaged people. This includes taking on strategic casework on matters that may affect many in the community.
- Addressing special areas or specific poulation groups through dedicated Centres (e.g. tenancy, credit and debt, domestic and family violence).
- Encouraging capacity building for people to develop skills for self-advocacy.
- Advocating for improved access to justice and more equitable laws and legal systems. Centres are committed to achieving systemic change through community legal education, and through law and policy reform.
