Industry partnerships are about building and nurturing long-term connections, and then working together to create real impact and change. Macquarie Law School and global law firm DLA Piper recently hosted the official launch of Wallumatta Legal, a not-for profit law firm providing affordable, low-fee legal services.
Since their establishment they have assisted 24 clients in a range of family law matters, and hope that Wallumatta Legal becomes a reference point for similar initiatives around the country. Wallumatta Legal has recently won the Innovation in Social Justice, Inclusion and Diversity category at the FT Innovative Lawyers Asia Pacific 2022 awards ceremony, held in Singapore last week.
Interim Dean of Macquarie Law School Associate Professor Lise Barry, and Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash tell us more about how this impressive university and legal firm partnership works.
- What is the aim of the project?
- Who are the key people involved?
- What have you been able to achieve together since launch?
- How do the roles and responsibilities differ between DLA Piper and Macquarie university?
- How does this partnership enhance student experience/employability?
- What does a day in the life of a PACE student working at Wallumatta Legal look like?
- Are there any other key partners involved? What is their role?
- What are the key factors to ensuring a successful university/legal firm partnership?
- What’s next for Wallumatta Legal?
Wallumatta Legal leverages cutting edge technology and automation to provide accessible legal advice at a low cost. It helps address an important access to justice issue by providing legal service to the ‘missing middle’ – those who are not eligible for legal aid or other free services, but who cannot afford the fees charged by most private lawyers. It also provides valuable practical hands-on experience in family law and legal technology for Macquarie Law students.
The Wallumatta Legal team includes Cameron Thomson (CEO), Vivian Galanis (Principal Solicitor) and Angelique Thomas (solicitor), as well as 6 law students volunteering as part of their practical learning activity. On the Macquarie side, the main people involved are Dean Lise Barry, Associate Professor Daniel Ghezelbash, Dr Henry Kha, Dr Francesco Dominello, and Project Manager Alex McCrostie. The DLA Piper team includes Nicholas Patrick, Head of Responsible Business, Annette Bain, Pro Bono Senior Consultant, and Gerry Bean, Partner and Ciara Kenny, Senior Legal Assistant.
Wallumatta Legal has already assisted 24 clients in a variety of family law matters and received over 50 inquiries for assistance. We have also had 17 Macquarie Law Students undertake a placement with the firm. We have had offers of support from alumni who are practising family lawyers and strong support for the initiative from the legal sector in general.
Both organisations have provided logistical, technical and other support to establishing the firm and supporting it during its pilot phase. In addition to providing the physical space and equipment for the firm, one of the key contributions from Macquarie University has been providing students to assist with the firm's work. Our students benefit enormously from the opportunity to have hands-on experience working in the legal sector under the supervision of Wallumatta Legal lawyers.
This project is one of the first of its kind in Australia. It stands at the forefront of academic innovation, providing our students with work experience in legal services right on campus.
Wallumatta Legal prides itself on its innovative use of students, and the enthusiasm they bring to the process. The new clinic fast-tracks students’ ability to make real-world, positive changes to their communities with valuable insights into the practical application of family law.
The practical skills they gain as part of the placement boost their employability. There is currently a national shortage of family lawyers, and we provide students with the skills and experience to fill that gap. Legal technology is transforming the way legal services are being delivered across the board – be that at big commercial law firms, small private practices, or in the community legal centre and not-for-profit sector. Skills in using legal technology are in extremely high demand, and the hands-on experience students get with such technology significantly boosts their employability.
Students gain experience assisting with all aspects of Wallumatta Legal’s work. Working under the close supervision of the firm’s lawyers, they observe and assist with legal tasks dealing with issues such as divorce, parenting and property matters. They also assist with the design and deployment of the legal technology tools that are central to the firm’s low-cost service delivery model. They play an important role in assisting clients to navigate these online tools. Clients with a lack of computer literacy, English language literacy, or an internet connection can be guided through a “triage” process by law students. They cannot give legal advice but can guide clients through the process and assist them in navigating the online tools.
Wallumatta Legal has received generous support from a number of other partners, including Ashurst, King & Wood Mallesons, Law Image, Lexis Nexus and the National Justice Project. The type of support varies but includes things such as cash donations, secondees and in-kind support.
The biggest single factor is time. Relationships need to be nurtured and developed and it’s important to establish mutual trust and a shared goal and vision. Roles and responsibilities need to be discussed and settled on right at the outset so both parties are on the same page. There will always be surprises and challenges along the way but building a solid foundation from the outset will allow these to be navigated and addressed in ways that meet the interests of all partners involved.
Our hope is that Wallumatta Legal will prove to be a model that can be emulated, not just for family law practice, but in all areas of law across the country. This not-for-profit, fixed cost, low-bono model, where you can create a self-sustaining business with modest fees, has the potential to add significant capacity in terms of available legal services, particularly for the ‘missing middle’ we target. The goal is for Wallumatta Legal to become a national point of reference for facilitating and setting up similar initiatives around the country.