We’re excited – over 700 supporters have registered for the Queensland Legal Walk

We’re very excited – over 700 supporters have registered for the Queensland Legal Walk and more are joining everyday. If every walker raises $200 we’ll keep the Magistrates Court service open for people like Simon.

Simon is a young job-seeker with anxiety. He was one of the first clients of LawRight’s pilot Magistrates Court service. Simon’s key social interaction was a large social club. He’d been a member for years when he observed some improper financial transactions. When Simon raised this with the club executive, he was ignored and banned from the club. He was upset and voiced his concerns on social media, but was shocked when soon after, he was sued for defamation in the Magistrates Court for $70,000.

A regional Community Legal Centre helped Simon but attempts to negotiate were unsuccessful and the CLC connected Simon to LawRight. Pro bono lawyers have helped Simon over several months to prepare court documents and articulate his legal arguments. The matter is ongoing but LawRight’s help in defamation matters typically stops these conflicts escalating.
 
LawRight’s Health Justice Partnership at the Mater Young Adults Health Centre is another service that relies on our fund-raising.

Share housing is often challenging but even more for marginalised young adults. LawRight helped Rory, who told us:

“My roommate signed up to pay a debt belonging to a previous housemate for unpaid electricity bills. Without consulting, he signed us up to a pay a rate that factoring in Centrelink being my only income I was left without money to eat or function.”

Mater staff suggested I tell LawRight, who “helped me plan and act out opening lines of communications with my roommates… and with the Energy Company and organisations to help. They made the process painless and were very helpful in providing knowledge about aspects of things I had totally no idea about. I would recommend LawRight to anyone in a position where they are overwhelmed… I always felt safe.”

How to donate

It’s easiest to donate by selecting a team at lawright.org.au/qldlegalwalk.

Use the search function on the page to find your team. If you want to donate to an individual it is still easier to select their team first.

Donations are tax-deductible.