I am not sure whether this is the easiest topic, to write a feature about. My head was screaming with different ideas about which feature topic to write about, I finally decided to write an article about where to get free legal advice in Australia. My story is target to be written for broke Uni students, who can’t afford a lawyer.
But, I soon found myself to be totally lost, not sure where to start. I thought about trying to get an interview, but I kept having the idea of been rejected. What if that happens? I don’t have a plan B.
Before having to go to class in Uni one day, I went into the University’s library and sat down in front of the Uni Library’s computer.
I figure I might have a better chance of getting an interview, if I look for a Law professor teaching within the University, where I am studying.
So, I made a Google search into the Legal faculty of Sydney University considering the fact that is where I am studying my postgraduate, while writing this article. On the long list of links on Google, I saw one, which said “Sydney Law School – The University of Sydney”
I clicked on it.
This looks like the official website for Sydney University’s faculty of law. I clicked on a button, which said “our people”
Four sub links appeared below, the first one said “Academic staff”, the second one said “Adjunct staff”, and the third one said “General staff” and the last one said “Search staff”.
I clicked on the button that said “Academic staff” there were at least 20 names under Professor Title, 14 names under Associate Professor Title, at least 20 name under the Title of Senior Lecturer and 17 names under the Title of Lecturer.
If I click on a name on this list, it would be link to a page that contains a short profile on that person, including contact detail.
So, I grabbed my mobile and started making telephone calls starting from the very first name on the list and work my way down.
After making a few telephone calls I reached a female law professor on this list.
I told her that I am a journalism student in Sydney University, writing a story in regards to how Young people can get free legal advice in Australia. When I said Young people, I meant people who are in their early twenties, but I guess she thought I am talking about teenagers.
“I am probably not the best person for you to talk to.” She said, but she did present me with one website www.lawstuff.org.au that provide free legal service to youth and for the first time I heard of the organization named Legal Aid and the name of two other law professionals, which she believe to be the most qualified people to provide information in regards to this topic. The first one was a professor in UTS, the other one is Dr. Peter Cashman, from Sydney University.
“This will probably be quiet a lot of material for you to work on already.” She said.
The first thing I did after that telephone call, was to type www.lawstuff.org.au into a web browser, there I saw a website, which includes the function of allowing people to send their questions in regards to their legal rights via Email and a menu full of different legal topic, which you can click on.
Then, I went back to the Google search engine and type in Legal Aid into the search engine box and click for it to search and went onto the Legal Aid’s website. Legal Aid is a government run organization.
For a while, I thought it might not be too much of a bad idea to do a feature on this www.lawstuff.org.au or Legal Aid either and started to think about finding the contact person for these sites to conduct an interview with. I thought for a while, I don’t know why but in the end, I decided to use that as my back up plan and decided to call Dr. Cashman first. I rang Dr. Cashman’s office number on my mobile. I got a response from an answering machine. I hung up. The next day, I called Dr Cashman’s office, this time he answered
“Hello, this is Peter Cashman.” The voice of a friendly and confident man came out of my phone.
“Hello, my name is Jui-Wei Yang. I am a postgraduate journalism in Sydney University. I am writing a story on where University students can get free legal advice in Australia. I am wondering whether I can take some of your time and arrange an interview with you for it.” I said. My tone of voice didn’t sound very professional, it sounds like a wimp, my tone sound wet and lack confidence.
“Sure, do you want to do it over the phone or do you want to meet in person.” Dr. Cashman replied.
“Is it alright for us to meet in person?” I asked
“Sure.” Dr. Cashman replied. We soon arranged for a time to meet, 3:00PM Wednesday.
I need a tape recorder. My mum have a tape recorder, she bought from almost fifteen years ago. It is a piece of old fossil in comparison to the recorder we can make during the 21st Century. It doesn’t work very well anymore sometime the tape can get jammed inside. That week end, I drove down to Harvey Norman, to try getting a new recorder. I always feel like I walked passed a time portal while entering Harvey Norman. Most of the goods my family use are well preserve goods that are still functioning well and are at least ten or twenty years old, but here in Harvey Norman they seem to have all the latest technology, the world can offer.
I tried to find a recorder that can be the most reliable, out of the cheapest. There was one, which is an USB recorder. It is an USB that have a recording function also. No tape is required, you can record the file, directly onto the USB and when you get home, you can download the file straight onto your computer. The USB also allows you to play back the file you just record, using the USB also. I bought that model.
During the weekend, I started to think about what might be the question that I might ask Dr. Cashman, so I decide to prepare a few pre prepare question, in case my head go blank on the spot. I jotted down six questions on a piece of paper.
1. What are the best ways for Uni students and under privilege people, to get the free legal advice and/or support they need?
2. What are some of the most common legal issues that university student might face?
3. What can you tell us about legal aid?
4. What is your perspective on legal aid and how useful are they to Uni student, who are in need of legal support?
5. What are the most common form of legal scrutiny would an international student face, while studying in Australia?
6. What are some of the best places for international students in particular, to get the free legal advice they required?
It is Wednesday. Dr Cashman agrees to meet me in his office in Sydney University. Dr Cashman already inform me, I might not be allow to get pass reception and need to call him when I get there, so he could let me in, in prior. When I got to the reception, I made a telephone call, to Dr Cashman. I got an answering machine. I sighed. I went outside to check whether I am in the right building. I called again, answering machine again.
I was starting to think maybe he has forgotten. “This is just what I mean by you can’t rely on anybody but yourself.” I thought.
I started to think about whether I will move to my backup plan instead. I looked at my watch, 3:15 pm.
I was about to give up. Five minutes later, I went back into the building where Dr. Cashman’s office is and called him again, by the time I reached the reception.
I reached Dr Cashman this time and he has been waiting for me in his office. He said he would come down to reception to let me in.
Dr Cashman arrived after a few minutes. He looks like an elderly man, maybe in his fifties, he was much shorter then I am and have short grey hair. I followed him into the elevator. Dr Cashman pressed a button of the lift. I think the lift took us to the fifth floor. I can’t remember everything that took place during that time, but I once again get the impression that he is a friendly and confident man.
We walked out of the lift and I follow him into his office. It was a small and narrow room. There were piles after piles of papers everywhere, I guess they are documents. Dr. Cashman’s desk was facing to a wall. There was a chair in front of the desk and a chair next to the desk.
Dr. Cashman sat down in front of his chair, in front of his desk. I sat on the other chair next to the desk.
I took out my tape recorder.
“Firstly, is it alright for me to record this conversation?” I asked
“Sure.” Dr Cashman replied
I press the record button on the tape recorder.
“Firstly, I would like to ask, what way can university students and under privilege people to get the free legal advice they actually need.” I asked. I still think my voice sound like a wimp
Dr Cashman took my recorder and spoke right into it like a microphone.
“Well, it depends on the type of problem they want advice for. There are some various community legal centers throughout Sydney and some other regional areas that would provide free legal service, free legal advice and sometime would take on small cases. In certain type of specialist areas there are specific legal centers that deal with particular types of problems. For example, people with immigration or refugee status problems can go to the refugee advice service, people who have complaints about discriminations can go to one of the other legal centers that specialize in that type of problem, there is a homeless person legal centre that provides free legal advice to homeless people, there is a disability legal centre that provides advices and information for people with disabilities. So there are broad ranges of legal centers that are base in the community, where people can get free advice.
Also, the Legal Aid commission of NSW, which is a statuary authority set up by the government, but independent has office in Sydney and throughout NSW and they also provides free legal advice and service.
Also the law society provides a referral service to refer people with legal problems, to legal practitioners and also the bar association has a legal service that provide representation in some cases for people with problem that may need a barrister and there is the public interest advocacy centre, which is a specialist legal centre in the city, which would provide advice for people who have cases where there might be some broader public interest involve and also there is public interest law clearing house, which also provide advice and referral to private law firm that would take cases on a proponent bases. It use to be the case that at local courts at NSW, they would train the magistrates who would give advice in relation to the civil matters but I don’t know whether that service still exist and also most lawyers in private practice would usually see people and give free advice at the initial consultation, but it depends on the type of problem and the type of matter. If someone for example has suffered personal injury, then most law firms would provide free advice and also handle cases on the bases they only expected to be paid if the case is successful and results in compensation.
So there are wide range of organizations through both the private profession, through the bar, through community legal centers and the legal aids scheme that provide specific advice and assistance. I don’t know whether there is any specific organization within the University of Sydney that would assist people.” Dr Cashman said, I think he sound like a politician.
This is way more information then I thought I would be getting.
I ended up only asking three more of my original questions.
I asked Dr Cashman, about what are some of the legal problem university students are most likely to face.
“I don’t know whether University student have any problems which are different from the community.” Dr Cashman said. Although, he did say that there is a study done by the law and justice foundation, which is currently doing a research on what sort of legal problem people encounter and they might includes record of students.
I asked him to tell me more about legal aid
Dr Cashman said that the Legal Aid provides advice and representation for legal matters, including civil, criminal, family law and dispute.
“There are also other legal centers operated through the legal aid commission or funded by the legal aid commission that provides specific advice in certain types of matters.” Dr Cashman said
I then, asked Dr. Cashman what sort of legal problem international students especially might meet. I think this is a stupid question, under the circumstances, but consider my article have a strong focus on the need of international students I decided to ask this question anyway.
“If they are international student they are only here for a limit period of time, they may have a problem if they want to stay in the country beyond their visa, particular if they stop studying, in which case they may not continue to be allegeable to remain in Australia, but I am not aware of what particular problem international student experienced.” Dr Cashman replied, although he did say that the university’s counseling service might have a better idea on this topic, because although they are not dedicated to present legal service, they do help international students on a wide range of issues.
That was the last question I have previously prepared, which I asked. I tried to think of what other questions there are, I can think of off the top of my head or what other question I can construct base on the answer I got right now. I thought hard, but I couldn’t think of any, I wasn’t very happy with my self, because of that.
“Thank you very much, thanks you for your time.” I said, I still think my voice sound like a wet carpet, which lack confidence.
“That is it, I’m off the hook.” Dr Cashman joked, as I turned off my tape recorder.
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