The Commonwealth Government and the Law Council of Australia have today (20 May) announced a new initiative aimed at attracting more lawyers to work in rural, regional and remote areas.

Launched in Perth and funded by the Government as part of a broader project, the new Rural, Regional and Remote Law (RRRLaw) initiative coincides with the announcement of $300,000 in extra funding for the WA Country Lawyers Program.

"The Government recognises that geography and isolation can present challenges when it comes to providing access to justice," said Attorney-General Robert McClelland. "The RRRLaw project is an excellent initiative that will go a long way to attracting lawyers to remote and regional areas to improve legal services."

LCA president Alexander Ward said RRRLaw is about improving access to justice for people in RRR areas of Australia.

"In March 2009, the Law Council co-ordinated a nationwide survey of legal practitioners in RRR areas that confirmed what we anecdotally already knew - RRR Australia is having difficulty in attracting and retaining legal professionals," he said.

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The survey results formed the basis of a funding submission to the Attorney-General for the development of a campaign to assist in the recruitment and retention of lawyers in RRR areas.

"Rrrlaw.com.au is the key resource for the RRR initiative. The website links people to job opportunities in RRR Australia and has everything practitioners need to know about legal careers in RRR Australia, including interactive case studies from people working in RRR destinations."