VICTORIA LAW FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 2006 Making Law Accessible Contents 3 OUR PROGRAM, OUR BOARD, OUR STAFF Foundation President, The Hon Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC Executive Director, Professor Kathy Laster 8 GRANTS Small Grants 2005–06: From little things big things grow Project Grants 2005–06: Transforming ideas into solutions 14 ACCESS TO JUSTICE Law Week 2006: Engaging the community Law@Your Library: Information when and where you need it Russell Street Justice Museum: Bringing law to life 18 PUBLICATIONS Supporting our Grants Program But for the Foundation Coordinating legal sector publishing 20 SUPPORT FOR BEST PRACTICE Encouraging excellence Training and Capacity Building Coordination across the Legal Sector 25 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Doing more with less GRANTS ACCESS TO JUSTICE G A S P SUPPORT FOR BEST PRACTICE PUBLICATIONS 2 Our Program Victoria Law Foundation Since its creation in 1967, the Foundation The Foundation fi lls GAPS in has established itself as a model existing services through four operates under its own Act community benefi t organisation with the of Parliament with a broad independence and organisational fl exibility key areas of activity: mandate to: necessary to meet the needs of a changing community. Its primary vision is to raise GRANTS: – promote and undertake community understanding of, and access We provide funding for, as well to, a better and more responsive justice community legal education system. as brokering, innovative law and and training, justice projects. To best achieve this, the Foundation – publish and communicate operates in a dynamic and holistic way, so that the results of its work are far ACCESS TO JUSTICE: legal information and ideas, greater than the sum of its resources. We undertake projects alone As well as facilitating major events and and in partnership with others, – establish and maintain law initiatives such as Law Week and the libraries and Legal Reporting Awards, it produces, to promote equitable access funds, initiates, fosters and guides myriad to justice for all Victorians. – research and advance the projects that continue to grow and spread law, the legal system and in their own right, thus making the law PUBLICATIONS: increasingly accessible across all sections the administration of justice. of the community. We produce and support the provision of legal information Effective and innovative projects with a sound management and expertise base resources in plain language are funded in order to make them a reality. for Victorian communities. Organisations or individuals with good ideas but limited resources are connected SUPPORT FOR BEST to those who can help, and this constant PRACTICE: networking with other legal and community based organisations has a double benefi t: We promote and enhance it increases the Foundation’s understanding community benefi t best practice of the wider community, enabling it to among the legal profession, target projects where they are most needed, and to design and deliver them legal institutions and the in the most effective way. not-for-profi t sector. 3 Our Board FOUNDATION PRESIDENT, Publications, both our own and those we The Foundation Board facilitate, have provided legal resources in Back Ms Victoria Strong (Law Institute of THE HON CHIEF JUSTICE Victoria’s nominee), Prof Morag Fraser AM MARILYN WARREN AC print, video and on the internet throughout (Attorney-General’s nominee), Mr Peter Seidel Victoria and beyond. For example, this year (Attorney-General’s nominee), Mr Mark Woods Victoria Law Foundation is the Foundation worked closely with the (Law Institute of Victoria’s nominee), Mr Kevin Lyons (Chief Justice’s nominee), Ms Alexandra justifi ably proud of its reputation Juries Commissioner to launch We the Jury, Richards QC (Chief Justice’s nominee), as a model community benefi t an induction DVD that is part of a suite Mr Frank Paton (co-opted member), Mr Mick Hall of products for citizens selected for jury (co-opted member). organisation making law duty. It is already being used as a model Front Ms Liberty Sanger (Attorney-General’s accessible, a vital task that it in other Australian jurisdictions as well nominee), Her Hon Magistrate Jane Patrick (Chief Justice’s nominee), The Hon Justice fulfi ls with energy, creativity as internationally. Marilyn Warren AC, Chief Justice of Victoria and enthusiasm. and President of Victoria Law Foundation, In supporting best practice, the Foundation Ms Catherine Gale (President Law Institute is uniquely placed to lead collaborations This year marks the end of the of Victoria ex offi cio), Ms Elizabeth Eldridge across the Victorian legal sector. It has also (representing the Attorney-General ex offi cio), Foundation’s four-year GAPS strategic initiated national cooperation between law Mr Bill O’Shea (Law Institute of Victoria’s nominee). plan, and the achievements described foundations in other jurisdictions. These in this report attest to its outstanding partnerships, as well as others with the Absent Mr Paul Lacava SC (Bar Council’s nominee) success in the areas of grants, access philanthropic sector, universities, private to justice, publications and support for practice, community legal centres and best practice. government, enable the Foundation and Grants have brought a large number other organisations to achieve so much of important and innovative projects to more for the community. reality, providing resources that will inform In thanking board members for their individuals and community groups involved tireless efforts, I express particular in issues as diverse as child protection, appreciation to Frank Paton who retired consumer rights, the environment and from the board after two decades of homelessness, to name just a few. service. On behalf of the board, I would also like to acknowledge the commitment Access to Justice has been expanded and efforts of the Foundation’s Executive in many areas, for instance by the Director, Professor Kathy Laster, and her Foundation’s strategic vision in creating expert staff. the Community Legal Centre Fellowship. The inaugural award enabled Helen McGowan of Albury-Wodonga Legal Service to explore ways to encourage lawyers to “go bush”. Some of her recommendations are already implemented The Honourable Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC and have attracted national interest. President, Victoria Law Foundation 4 THE FOUNDATION BOARD President and Chair The Hon Chief Justice Marilyn Warren AC Meets 4 times per year EXECUTIVE SERVICES GRANTS SUBGROUP PUBLICATIONS AUDIT, FINANCE SUBGROUP Mr Kevin Lyons SUBGROUP & INVESTMENT Ms Alexandra Richards QC (Chair from Dec 2005) Mr Mark Woods SUBGROUP (Chair from March 2006) Mr Victor Borg AM (Chair) Mr Mick Hall Mr Victor Borg AM (Chair to Dec 2005) Prof Morag Fraser AM (Chair) (to Dec 2005) Mr Paul Lacava SC Mr Kevin Lyons Mr Paul Lacava SC Prof Morag Fraser AM Ms Liberty Sanger Her Hon Magistrate Jane Patrick Mr Bill O’Shea Ms Cathy Gale Mr Peter Seidel (from June 2006) Prof Kathy Laster (from April 2006) (Executive Director) Ms Victoria Strong Prof Kathy Laster Mr Mick Hall (Executive Director) Meets 3 times per year Prof Kathy Laster Mr Kevin Lyons (Executive Director) Meets 3 times per year Mr Frank Paton Meets 3 times per year (Chair to March 2006) Mr Peter Seidel (from April 2006) Mr Mark Woods (from April 2006) Prof Kathy Laster (Executive Director) Meets 8 times per year 5 Our Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Signifi cant achievements during the The Foundation Staff 2005–2006 fi nancial year include: Back Joady Donovan, Marketing and PROFESSOR KATHY LASTER Communications Manager; Diane Shannon, – Law Week 2006 has expanded Administration and Finance Manager; Robin The ripple effect of the throughout Victoria, with events being Astley, Publications Offi cer; Foundation’s work is staged as far away as Mildura. Front Joh Kirby, Grants Manager; David unmistakeable. Thomson, Teacher in Residence; Prof Kathy – Rural Law Online has been embraced Laster, Executive Director; Christine Walton, Finance Offi cer. Law Week has been revitalised and by regional Victorians, with close to 500 people consulting the website every Absent Maria McGarvie, Support for Best community interest and attendance Practice Projects Manager, Tim Moyes, continues to grow, but a more signifi cant day. This continually expanding legal Publishing Projects Manager, and Jane Farago, outcome of this important annual event is information source for rural residents is Publishing Manager. the way in which it catalyses improvements ranked by Google as Australia’s number by legal sector agencies that make the law one site on the subject. more accessible across the community. – The third annual Pro Bono Workshop, Our unique plain-language publications, held in the Victorian coastal town of such as the award-winning The Coroner’s Queenscliff, was a resounding success. Process, are equally important because It brought together pro bono partners, they meet the specifi c needs of smaller coordinators and lawyers from major but signifi cant groups. We constantly state and national law fi rms to share measure our success in terms of depth accumulated experience, and to develop as well as breadth of impact. signifi cant projects that will guide Pro Bono legal services for the coming The GAPS strategy has allowed us to two years. satisfy short and long-term goals. For Our achievements are directly attributable example, our Student Internship Program to our multi-skilled and multi-tasking has the immediate aim of supporting Foundation team. People are often our Grants