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Legal Life 2020: Rural lawyers will become a dying breed
By 2020, those living in country communities will find it increasingly difficult to obtain access to justice as lawyers continue to leave rural, regional and remote areas of Australia.The…
By 2020, those living in country communities will find it increasingly difficult to obtain access to justice as lawyers continue to leave rural, regional and remote areas of Australia.
The results of a recent study conducted by the Law Council have raised serious concerns among the legal profession about the future practice of law in country Australia.
A large number of legal practitioners in rural, regional and remote areas - many of whom are sole practitioners - indicated that they will retire in the next five to 10 years. Similarly, many younger lawyers indicated that they intend to practise in these areas for less than two years,
As a result, by 2020 it appears the ability of those living in country Australia to obtain access to justice will be significantly hampered.
The seriousness of this situation is compounded by current population projections, which indicate that the number of individuals living outside the capital areas will rise by 3 million by 2026.
A large majority of country practitioners not only provide legal services on a pro bono basis, but also contribute significantly to the provision of legal aid to some of the most vulnerable sectors of our society.
The survey also revealed that the main areas of practice for country practitioners are wills and probate, conveyancing and business law, which are traditionally provided by private law firms.
If the current situation remains unchanged, those living in country Australia will have difficulty obtaining legal advice on issues - from those that have serious consequences on a person's life to more common matters such as a purchase or sale of a property, or assistance with a will.
Without adequate access to legal services, either through private law firms, legal aid or community legal centres, these individuals will more often be forced to travel to capital cities to obtain legal advice. This, in turn, is likely to lead to an increase in the migration from country areas.
If additional resources for the provision of legal services are not invested in these areas, the future of these communities will be in serious doubt.
John Corcoran is president of the Law Council of Australia
