S TR A TE GI C P LA N 2013 2017 - Legal Aid · PDF fileS TR A TE GI C P LA N ... operating...

STRATEGIC PLAN2013–2017Excellence through Innovation and Collaboration

Promoting a just society in the Australian Capital Territory

1Excellence through Innovation and Collaboration

ContentsPurpose, Values and Vision 2

Preface 3

Introduction 6

Part 1 Legal Assistance 11

Legal Practice 11

Dispute Resolution Program 13

Legal Aid Helpdesk 14

Grants of Legal Assistance 15

Law Reform 16

Reducing the Justice Gap 16

Part 2 Community Legal Education and Awareness 17

Community Legal Education 17

Awareness 18

Part 3 Collaboration and External Relationships 19

Part 4 Staff Development and Organisational Culture 22

Part 5 Technology and Corporate Infrastructure 24

Part 6 Corporate Governance and Revenue 25

2 Strategic Plan 2013–2017

PURPoseThe purpose of Legal Aid ACT is to promote a just society in the Australian Capital Territory by:

▪ ensuring that vulnerable and disadvantaged people receive the legal services they need to protect their rights and interests;

▪ developing an improved community understanding of the law; and

▪ seeking reform of laws that adversely affect those we assist.

We achieve this purpose by delivering a range of high quality legal services through our staff and professional partners in a caring manner that respects diversity and promotes confidence in the legal system.

VALUesLegal Aid ACT espouses the following values in its relationships, service delivery, business processes and decision making.

▪ We are committed to helping disadvantaged people achieve justice.

▪ We respect people and their diversity.

▪ We value integrity and ethical conduct.

▪ We are accountable and committed to using learning and innovation to improve the quality of our services and the efficient use of resources.

▪ We work collaboratively with others to meet people’s needs.

▪ We value and protect our statutory independence.

VIsIonOur vision is to be a leader in the delivery of legal services that are recognised for their excellence and for the caring, responsive and professional manner in which they are provided.


PReFACeAn organisation without a strategic plan is like a hiker without a map. You might eventually reach your destination but you are at risk of taking wrong turns that delay your arrival; missing important opportunities, or encountering unforeseen difficulties along the way. A strategic plan can make the difference between an organisation being proactive and shaping its own future or reactive and having its future shaped by others.

The development of Legal Aid ACT’s strategic plan for 2013-2017 has been a collaborative effort informed by research and consultation with staff, board members, private lawyers, governments, justice agencies, community legal services and non-legal service providers.

We used a five step planning process that involves:

1. gathering and analysing information;

2. identifying critical strategic issues, choices and challenges;

3. reviewing the previous mission, vision and values statements;

4. developing goals and strategies for the next five years; and

5. developing annual operational plans.

Work on the strategic plan started in June 2012 with an initial meeting of the strategic planning committee comprising members of the executive and other senior staff to settle the planning process and timetable. The planning process got underway in July when staff, board members and external stakeholders were invited to complete online survey questionnaires designed to obtain their views on critical issues facing Legal Aid ACT over the next five years, and their ideas about how we might respond to those issues.

The strategic plan has also been informed by recent research into legal need, notably the Legal Australia-Wide (LAW) Survey report published in the second half of 2012 by the Law & Justice Foundation of NSW in collaboration with National Legal Aid.1 We also had the benefit of recent research undertaken by Dr Liz Curran into the measurement of the quality and outcomes of Legal Aid ACT’s services.2

1 C Coumarelos & Ors, Legal Australia-Wide Survey: Legal Need in Australia and Legal Australia-Wide Survey: Legal Need in the Australian Capital Territory, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, August 2012.

2 L Curran, ‘We can see there’s a light at the end of the tunnel now’: Demonstrating and Ensuring Quality Service to Clients, Curran Consulting: Enhancing Justice and Human Rights and Legal Aid Commission (ACT), April 2012.


In September 2012 planning workshops were held and facilitated by Dr Curran at which staff and board members reviewed the stakeholder survey results and identified issues critical to Legal Aid ACT’s future success. We also reviewed the mission, vision and values statements and discussed where we wanted to be positioned in five years’ time.

In October 2012 six staff planning teams began the task of developing goals and strategies to address critical issues relating to the following aspects of our functions and operating environment.

▪ Legal Services Improvement and Development

▪ Community Legal Education and Awareness

▪ Staff Development and Organisational Culture

▪ Technology and Corporate Infrastructure

▪ Collaboration and External Relationships

▪ Corporate Governance and Revenue

The teams reported in December 2012 with draft goals and strategies covering these aspects of Legal Aid ACT’s operations.

In November 2012 two external stakeholder forums were held for the purpose of a more in-depth consultation on planning issues identified in the survey questionnaires and planning workshops. One forum was attended by representatives of justice sector agencies and the other by representatives of a range of non-legal service providers who work with clients from vulnerable and disadvantaged backgrounds.

In February 2013 the strategic planning committee with the assistance of the project officer reviewed the work of the planning teams, sorting strategic from operational issues, reality testing goals and strategies and selecting those appropriate for inclusion in the strategic plan.

A draft strategic plan was prepared and circulated to staff and board members for feedback in March 2013 and the final version of the plan was approved by the board in April 2013.

The strategic plan will be implemented through annual operational plans that identify practical objectives to measure each year’s progress toward achieving the goals in the strategic plan.

In order for a strategic plan to remain a relevant and useful guide it should be reviewed periodically and if necessary revised to take account of unforeseen changes in the operating environment.


Finally, I want to acknowledge the work of staff who contributed to the development of the plan — and that has been nearly every member of staff in some way or other. I’d particularly like to thank those members of staff who participated in the planning teams and directly influenced the final shape of the strategic plan. Without the enthusiastic involvement of staff in the planning process the strategic plan would not only be less rich in ideas, it would not be ‘owned’ by staff, and staff ownership is essential if the plan is to be successfully implemented.

I would also like to thank members of the strategic planning committee and our project officers who spent many hours drafting, discussing and refining the plan.

Andrew Crockett Chief Executive Officer

April 2013


IntRoDUCtIonThis strategic plan articulates Legal Aid ACT’s purpose and how we will progress towards achieving it over the next five years. The plan comprises a series of goals and strategies relating to the main aspects of our operations. The goals are broad statements of what Legal Aid ACT wants to achieve and the strategies are the means by which we will achieve them. The plan is not a comprehensive account of all activities we undertake, nor will undertake in the future. It includes only new activities and existing activities that will be modified or expanded since to include every activity would add complexity without value.

Why is LegaL aid important?

The rule of law is essential to maintaining Australia as a free, democratic, socially cohesive and prosperous nation. The rule of law acts as a safeguard against abuses of power by the state, commercial interests or others who might seek to wield undue power or influence. It does so by providing a framework of laws that govern behaviour in the public interest and the means of asserting or defending individual rights and resolving disputes through a system of independent and impartial courts and tribunals.

A well-resourced and responsive legal aid system plays an essential part in maintaining the rule of law by ensuring that socially and economically disadvantaged people are able to exercise their legal rights and thereby participate more fully in society.

about the LegaL aid Commission (aCt)

The Legal Aid Commission (ACT) is an independent statutory authority established under the Legal Aid Act 1977 (the ACT) and its role is to provide legal assistance in the Australian Capital Territory in accordance with the Act. Legal assistance covers a range of legal services including:

Funded family/care position at Aboriginal Legal Service, Canberra

Criminal duty lawyer service expanded

Family law duty lawyer service brought in-house

ACT Legal Assistance Forum (ACTLAF) established

2008 2009

Strategic Plan for 2008-2012: ‘New Directions for Legal Aid’

Outreach services at Kippax, Deakin and Dickson

New website launched

Prisoners Legal Service


▪ legal information and referral;

▪ legal advice, minor assistance and advocacy;

▪ duty lawyer services at courts and tribunals;

▪ grants of financial assistance to enable people to obtain legal representation;

▪ dispute resolution services; and

▪ community legal education programs.

The Act states that legal assistance services are to be provided under the name Legal Aid ACT and that name is used throughout this plan.

strategiC Context

The theme of our strategic plan for 2008-2012 was ‘New Directions for Legal Aid’. The new directions included modernisation of the Commission’s infrastructure and systems as well as improvements in service delivery such as the establishment of the Legal Aid Helpdesk. The theme of the strategic plan for 2013-2017 is achieving ‘Excellence through Innovation and Collaboration’. Our focus for the next five years will be on further improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our services and we will do this by applying learning and innovation to improve business processes and work practices.

strategiC ChaLLenges

The principal challenge facing the Commission over the life of this strategic plan is to adequately address legal need in the ACT community in a climate of continuing funding constraint. This will require new approaches to service delivery including the development of innovative ways of meeting legal need, improved targeting of services and collaboration with other legal and non-legal services to ensure more integrated, holistic and effective responses to legal and related non-legal problems in the community.

Funded family/care position at Aboriginal Legal Service, Canberra

Criminal duty lawyer service expanded

Family law duty lawyer service brought in-house

ACT Legal Assistance Forum (ACTLAF) established

2008 2009

Strategic Plan for 2008-2012: ‘New Directions for Legal Aid’

Outreach services at Kippax, Deakin and Dickson

New website launched

Prisoners Legal Service

2010

eGrants project commences

Street Law established as a joint project with ACTLAF

Audit committee established

Legal Aid Act amended to support New Directions

National accreditation of Family Dispute Resolution Program convenors

Moved to new premises

Youth Law Centre permanently staffed

ATSI client support position established

ICT and financial management systems upgrade


Our strong partnership with the private legal profession in ACT will continue to be a key feature of service delivery but we will also develop partnerships and collaborative arrangements with other legal and non-legal service providers with complimentary mandates.

Over the next five years Legal Aid ACT will focus on maximising the benefits of the investments made over the last five years in the organisation’s operating capacity. Consolidating recent gains will involve further investment in enabling technologies such as broadband, mobile computing and smart software. The objective will be to generate efficiencies that enable an increasing proportion of our resources to be allocated to frontline service delivery.

pLanning frameWork

The development of the strategic plan for 2013-2017 has been undertaken within the framework of responsibilities set out in the Legal Aid Act 1977 and in the National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Services (NPA), which was signed by the Commonwealth and Territory governments in July 2010.

The objective of the NPA is a national system of legal assistance that is integrated, efficient and cost-effective and focused on providing services to disadvantaged Australians in accordance with access to justice principles of accessibility, appropriateness, equity, efficiency and effectiveness.

The outcomes sought by the NPA are:

▪ earlier resolution of legal problems for disadvantaged Australians that, when appropriate, avoids the need for litigation;

▪ more appropriate targeting of legal assistance services to people who experience, or are at risk of experiencing, social exclusion;

▪ increased collaboration and cooperation between legal assistance providers themselves and with other service providers to ensure clients receive ‘joined up’ service provision to address legal and other problems; and

▪ a strategic national response to critical challenges and pressures affecting the legal assistance sector.

eGrants online invoicing and extensions

Dispute resolution program expanded

Research into service quality and outcomes (Curran Report)

eGrants online application processing

Legal Aid Helpdesk

New practitioner panel arrangements

2011 2012


eGrants online invoicing and extensions

Dispute resolution program expanded

Research into service quality and outcomes (Curran Report)

eGrants online application processing

Legal Aid Helpdesk

New practitioner panel arrangements

2011 2012

After hours emergency in-custody telephone service

ATSI dispute resolution project

Mental health legal services expanded

ACT Emergency Legal Help

LAMIS project commences

2013

Strategic Planfor 2013-17: ‘Excellence through Innovation and Collaboration’

Recent research into legal need has also informed the development of the strategic plan. Major findings of the ‘Legal Australia-Wide Survey: Legal Need in the Australian Capital Territory’ include that:3

▪ legal problems are widespread and often have adverse impacts on many life circumstances

▪ some people, most notably disadvantaged people, are particularly vulnerable to legal problems, including substantial and multiple legal problems

▪ a sizeable proportion of people take no action to resolve their legal problems and consequently achieve poor outcomes

▪ most people who seek advice do not consult legal advisers and resolve their legal problems outside the formal justice system.

Nearly 50% of the 2,035 ACT respondents to the LAW Survey had experienced one or more legal problems in the previous 12 months. The most prevalent were consumer, crime and housing problems. The survey found that, in the ACT and elsewhere in Australia, people with a disability have a significantly higher prevalence of legal problems and often experience multiple and substantial legal problems. Other vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in the community with a high prevalence of legal problems include unemployed people, single parents, people living in disadvantaged housing, people whose main income is government payments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The LAW Survey findings provided a strong evidence base for shaping the Commission’s goals and strategies for the next five years and improving the targeting of services to disadvantaged and vulnerable people.

3 C Coumarelos et al, ‘Legal Australia-Wide Survey: Legal Need in the Australian Capital Territory’.


strategiC priorities

4 The ‘justice gap’ is the gap into which people fall when they can’t obtain legal assistance because their income is over the means test limit, but they cannot afford the cost of private legal representation. Without the ability to obtain legal representation many people are denied access to justice and so reducing the justice gap is a major challenge facing the legal system.

HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICESWe will continue to provide a full range of high quality legal assistance services through the in-house Legal Practice, the Legal Aid Helpdesk and the Youth Law Centre.

ADDRESSING UNMET LEGAL NEEDWe are committed to addressing unmet legal need and working in collaboration with others to reduce the justice gap4.

EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCESWe are committed to the efficient use of our resources.

SUSTAINABILITYWe are committed to operating in a financially, socially and environmentally sustainable manner.

LEARNING ORGANISATIONWe are committed to continuously improving our services through innovation and transferring learning throughout the organisation.

The strategic goals of Legal Aid ACT over the next five years are designed to further the objectives and outcomes of the NPA and will be driven by the following priorities:


PARt 1 LegAL AssIstAnCePart 1 of the strategic plan contains goals and strategies relating to the provision of legal assistance in its various forms. It covers the in-house Legal Practice, the Dispute Resolution Program, the Legal Aid Helpdesk and Grants of Legal Assistance.

LegaL praCtiCe

goaLs strategies

The Legal Practice delivers high quality services and continues to develop its expertise and efficiency

Civil Practice

Develop through training the expertise of the practice in employment matters.

Collaborate with National Legal Aid, the ACT Legal Assistance Forum, pro bono law firms and government workplace agencies to provide training and practice support.

Develop specialist early intervention and advocacy services including in mental health and employment matters.

Provide a holistic service to meet the multiple legal needs of mental health consumers including, where appropriate, guardianship, financial and other issues.

Improve collaboration in civil law matters between legal and non-legal service providers through inter-agency networks.

Continuously improve the quality of service provided by the Legal Practice through:

▪ skills training and mentoring;

▪ conducting file audits to ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and practice standards;

▪ investigating efficiencies achievable through the use of new technology and the appropriate sharing of support staff services across the practice; and

▪ sharing support staff services where efficient and appropriate.


goaLs strategies

Criminal Practice

Investigate the need for and resources required to provide legal advice and other forms of legal assistance in proceedings before the Sentence Administration Board (SAB) including the feasibility of providing these services through the Prisoners Legal Service.

Family Practice

Develop through training the expertise of the practice in property matters and encourage the use of property-only grants in appropriate cases.

Develop the expertise of the practice in child support matters by collaborating with Legal Aid NSW’s Child Support Unit to provide training, and investigate the need for and feasibility of referring clients to the Child Support Unit for advice or further assistance.

Emerging areas of legal need are monitored and addressed to the extent other priorities and resources permit

Monitor emerging areas of legal need such as those arising from the Royal Commission into Child Abuse; the Defence Forces Investigation of abuse allegations; the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Working with Vulnerable People registration scheme.

Allocate resources to meet these needs to the extent they are available and other priority needs are met.

Initial contributions in legally assisted cases are recovered in a timely and efficient manner.

Ensure the Contributions Assessment and Recovery policy is adhered to and clients are actively encouraged to pay contributions unless it would cause undue hardship.

Seek waiver of initial contributions where payment would cause undue hardship or in other special circumstances.


dispute resoLution program

goaLs strategies

The lawyer assisted dispute resolution service meets the needs of clients in family law and other civil law matters.

Establish contractual arrangements with Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) convenors that meet Commonwealth accreditation standards and ensure that convenors on the Dispute Resolution Panel are equipped with the skills and expertise to provide high quality dispute resolution services.

Promote relationships with other dispute resolution programs, the Family Relationships Centre, Family Pathways and other government and community stakeholders in order to facilitate a collaborative approach to service delivery and, where appropriate, enable shared services, resources and ideas.

Promote a multidisciplinary approach to dispute resolution that draws on the skills of legal and non-legal professionals so that client needs are met holistically.

Develop and document Dispute Resolution Program policies including new variants of the dispute resolution model.

Develop and promote a culturally sensitive model of dispute resolution for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander agencies and service providers.

Develop and promote a model of dispute resolution for child protection matters in partnership with the ACT Government Community Services Directorate and the ACT Childrens Court.

Develop and promote a model of dispute resolution that is child inclusive where appropriate.

Investigate the cost and benefits of employing an in-house psychologist to assist the work of the Dispute Resolution Program by promoting child inclusive practices and preparing reports in child related matters.


LegaL aid heLpdesk

goaLs strategies

People seeking information, advice, or assistance are provided with timely and effective assistance

Improve and update legal information databases for the provision of relevant legal information, procedural advice and referrals.

Provide regular training to improve staff knowledge on relevant legal information and procedure within the ACT (utilising knowledge from the in-house practice and external providers).

Promote further collaboration and communication between the Helpdesk, in-house legal practice, community legal centres and firms providing pro bono legal assistance.

Promote the involvement of Helpdesk staff in outreach programs.

Ensure the Helpdesk retains the capacity to meet demand for its services (including timely call-back to people using the Legal Aid Helpline) by drawing on the assistance of appropriate staff in other parts of the organisation.


grants of LegaL assistanCe

goaLs strategies

Services provided by private lawyers on Legal Aid ACT’s behalf are of a high professional standard

Investigate the desirability of establishing further special panels to ensure high standards of legal representation.

Monitor and continuously improve the quality of service provided by private lawyers by conducting file audits to ensure compliance with relevant policies, procedures and practice standards.

Balance the need to utilise available funds to maximise the provision of legal assistance with the need for private lawyers to be reasonably remunerated for legal assistance services they provide on behalf of Legal Aid ACT

When appropriate seek additional funding to enable the real value of fees paid to private lawyers to be maintained.

Administration of grants of legal assistance is effective and efficient

Ensure that efficiency improvements in the administration of grants of legal assistance generated by technologies and systems such as eGrants are fully utilised by private lawyers, the in-house legal practice and other relevant service providers to the fullest extent consistent with quality decision making.

Continuously improve the quality and efficiency of grants decision making through skills training and mentoring.

Decisions relating to the provision of legal assistance are fair, equitable, consistent and transparent

Conduct decision making training for staff and review panels and establish and provide a decision making guide.

Develop and implement a formal induction program for review panel members.

Review the special circumstances provisions of the Legal Assistance Guidelines to ensure they are applied consistently in Territory and Commonwealth law matters and given adequate consideration and appropriate weight in decision making.

Develop further guidelines under section 12 of the Legal Aid Act 1977 for the assessment, recovery and waiver of contributions that ensure decision making by staff and review committees is equitable and consistent and has adequate regard to the importance of contributions as a source of revenue.


LaW reform

goaLs strategies

The Legal Practice plays an active role in advocating the reform of laws that impact unfairly on disadvantaged and vulnerable people

Monitor the application of laws and procedures and make recommendations for reform of laws or procedures that unfairly prejudice or disadvantage our client base.

Encourage staff participation in law reform activity through regular meetings of the law reform committee.

Facilitate and recognise contributions by staff to law reform activity by adjusting other work commitments where appropriate.

Contribute to law reform activity at a national level through membership of National Legal Aid working groups.

Respond to ACT Government Cabinet submissions and other requests for submissions concerning proposed legislative or procedural changes relevant to Legal Aid ACT’s operations.

reduCing the JustiCe gap

goaLs strategies

Explore options for reducing the justice gap5 by providing legal representation to people who are ineligible for a grant of legal assistance but cannot afford the cost of legal representation

In collaboration with relevant stakeholders investigate the feasibility of alternative ways of funding and arranging legal representation for financially and socially disadvantaged people including:

▪ establishing a self-funded, not-for-profit legal practice within or separate from Legal Aid ACT’s existing Legal Practice;

▪ reducing or removing current restrictions on access to the Dispute Resolution Program;

▪ establishing a litigation disbursement scheme;

▪ changing conflict rules to maximise the number of people who can be assisted by the Commission’s Legal Practice;

▪ expanding the provision of minor assistance and advocacy without a grant of legal assistance; and

▪ expanding the provision of legal assistance by exercising discretion to grant legal assistance subject to payment of higher contributions.

5 See footnote 1.


PARt 2 CoMMUnItY LegAL eDUCAtIon AnD AWARenessPart 2 contains goals and strategies relating to the provision of legal education programs and raising community awareness of legal issues and sources of legal help.

Community LegaL eduCation

goaLs strategies

Undertake educational programs and activities to help members of the community, especially those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged, to understand legal issues and take appropriate action to resolve those issues.

Evaluate legal education needs in the community in collaboration with external agencies and determine which priority groups and areas to target having regard to the LAW Survey6 findings, internal client data and feedback from the strategic planning forums.

Review the Community Legal Education (CLE) programs of other legal aid commissions and other agencies (including our partners in the ACT Legal Assistance Forum) to ascertain which programs are relevant and easily transferrable to target audiences identified through the evaluation process above.

Develop a long-term CLE plan for the delivery of education programs that:

▪ is informed by research and consultation;

▪ utilises the principles of community development where appropriate;

▪ complements existing CLE programs;

▪ meets priority areas of need;

▪ includes collaboration with other agencies and organisations to ensure a coordinated approach and efficient use of resources;

▪ makes effective use of a variety of communication media and other resources to achieve maximum penetration of target audiences; and

▪ provides training and encouragement for staff to participate in the delivery of legal education programs.

▪ associated training.

6 See footnote 3.


goaLs strategies

Collaborate with the staff of other community and legal service providers, and utilise peak bodies to assist those working with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community to:

▪ recognise when their clients’ problems include legal issues;

▪ enable them to facilitate effective referrals for legal advice and assistance; and

▪ maintain and promote the Free Law Directory and associated training.

aWareness

goaLs strategies

Raise the profile of Legal Aid ACT in the ACT region and improve community understanding of the services it provides

Identify public perceptions and any misconceptions about Legal Aid ACT through consultation with staff and external organisations.

Develop and implement measures to address any misconceptions about Legal Aid ACT in the community.

Promote the role and services of Legal Aid ACT though:

▪ developing an information campaign utilising a broad range of media, including print media, social media, television and radio (see also Part 5, Technology and Corporate Infrastructure);

▪ engaging with appropriate educational institutions and other organisations to assist in the development of media materials;

▪ networking and building relationships with external organisations and stakeholders; and

▪ actively participate involvement in projects undertaken by National Legal Aid’s CLE Working Group.

Develop and deliver, in collaboration with other community service providers, targeted awareness training sessions for their staff so they are able to identify legal problems within their client groups and make appropriate referrals.


PARt 3 CoLLABoRAtIon AnD eXteRnAL ReLAtIonsHIPsPart 3 contains goals and strategies relating to Legal Aid ACT’s relationships with key stakeholders and collaboration with other service providers to improve the delivery of legal assistance services.

goaLs strategies

Promote consultative relationships with legal professional bodies and their members

Consult with the professional bodies on legal assistance issues of significance to their members.

Convene meetings of the Legal Aid Reference Group when appropriate for the purpose of discussing relationships and arrangements with Legal Aid ACT and proposals for changes that will affect the private legal profession.

Foster collaborative relationships with other legal aid service providers in the ACT

Actively participate as a member of the ACT Legal Assistance Forum (ACTLAF) by facilitating:

▪ coordination of legal assistance service provision in the ACT region to ensure that services are provided efficiently and effectively, and that areas of expertise and specialisation are respected and maintained in a manner that complements the services of other members, meets changing needs in the community and avoids unnecessary duplication of effort;

▪ cooperation between ACTLAF members and endeavouring to provide practical help and support when required;

▪ the encouragement of referral of clients between services;

▪ the exchange of information and experiences concerning the delivery of legal assistance services in the ACT region, including new initiatives and plans that may impact on service delivery; and

▪ participation as a member of working groups to foster collaboration in community legal education, service delivery, professional training, research and other projects designed to identify and address legal need in the ACT region.


goaLs strategies

Investigate opportunities for ACTLAF members to reduce administrative overhead costs, for example, sharing back office infrastructure and costs.

Investigate opportunities to enhance the representation of clients in cases that require a range of expertise by teaming with other in-house or external lawyers.

Explore opportunities for establishing cooperative service delivery and professional development opportunities with other organisations both within and outside the legal assistance sector.

Investigate the usefulness and potential for short-term lawyer exchanges with other legal aid commissions and other kindred organisations such as community legal centres and justice agencies.

Create opportunities for pro bono participation by private lawyers in the provision of legal assistance services

Identify services that would benefit from a pro bono working partnership with the private profession.

Approach the private profession, including the pro bono partners of large law firms, to seek their participation in future projects.

Fosters collaborative relationships and makes arrangements with non-legal service providers to facilitate the identification and referral of people with legal needs to appropriate legal assistance services

Build relationships with government and community service providers to improve access by people, particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged people, to legal assistance services (see also Part 2 Community Education and Awareness).

Maintain a data base of relevant agencies, including information on services provided, referral protocols and current contact details.


goaLs strategies

Maintain effective working relationships with relevant areas of government

Consult on a regular basis with officers of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate, ACT Treasury, the ACT Auditor-General and the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department to discuss and resolve issues relevant to our goals and strategies, including to ensure that:

▪ legal aid legislation, agreements, policies and guidelines support and facilitate the efficient, effective and economical delivery of legal assistance services; and

▪ Legal Aid ACT is consulted on changes to government policy or legislation that might impact on our client groups or the delivery of legal assistance services.

Meet and consult on a regular basis with ACT and Federal courts, the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions and other relevant government agencies.

Participate in relevant justice sector forums and advisory committees.

Keep the ACT Attorney-General briefed on significant legal assistance issues.

Work collaboratively with National Legal Aid (NLA) and individual legal aid commissions to promote consistency and excellence in national legal assistance service delivery and infrastructure

Actively participate in NLA activities including NLA meetings, working groups and conferences.

Contribute to NLA submissions to the Commonwealth Government on national legal assistance policy and law reform issues.

Build relationships and enter into arrangements with other legal aid commissions to ensure that the legal needs of people in the ACT region are adequately met.

Enter into arrangements with other legal aid commissions for sharing legal and corporate expertise or systems.


PARt 4 stAFF DeVeLoPMent AnD oRgAnIsAtIonAL CULtURePart 4 contains goals and strategies relating to developing Legal Aid ACT as a learning organisation that continuously improves services and provides opportunities for staff to achieve their full potential.

goaLs strategies

Legal Aid ACT enables employees to realise their full potential and encourages the development of leadership skills and innovation

Promote a culture of learning where staff are encouraged to:

▪ generate and share knowledge within work groups and across the organisation;

▪ purposefully and conscientiously experiment and explore new ways of working that improves their effectiveness and efficiency;

▪ reflect on, discuss and think creatively about the needs of the organisation;

▪ proactively contribute to systems and process improvement and development; and

▪ inspire others to change and adapt.

Foster a culture where:

▪ learning and innovation are encouraged;

▪ professional development is a right and responsibility of all staff; and

▪ staff are regularly coached and mentored by their supervisors.

Foster movement and cross-training within the organisation for the purpose of enhancing job satisfaction, skills and career development and building organisational resilience.

Promote teamwork through leadership and staff training.

Promote a workplace culture that:

▪ supports individual and team achievement;

▪ provides individuals with continuous and structured performance feedback and encouragement to achieve their full potential; and

▪ in which it is the norm to measure and analyse work processes for the purpose of identifying improvement opportunities.


goaLs strategies

Staff take responsibility for responding to changing work environments and are encouraged to implement the necessary changes within their individual work areas

Establish systems and processes that allow staff to share their knowledge with each other and encourage others to change and adapt.

Benchmark key work processes, enabling staff to play an effective role in continuous improvement.

Engage volunteers and recent graduates to support the provision of legal aid services

Investigate the feasibility of a program in which newly graduated lawyers are recruited to undertake periods of voluntary work in areas of Legal Aid ACT where there may be potential, in appropriate cases, for ongoing roles on completion of the program.

Expand the use of volunteers to support the delivery of legal assistance services where effective and efficient to do so.

People seeking assistance are treated in a caring and culturally appropriate manner that respects the individual and promotes confidence in the legal system.

Provide staff with skills training, mentoring and supervision to ensure that clients are treated in a manner that is respectful, caring and culturally appropriate.

Provide waiting areas and interview facilities that meet the needs of clients and staff for accessibility, comfort, privacy and security.


PARt 5 teCHnoLogY AnD CoRPoRAte InFRAstRUCtURe Part 5 contains goals and strategies relating to the use of technology and infrastructure to support the provision of legal assistance

goaLs strategies

Provide modern technology and communication infrastructure that improves services and operational efficiency and supports the aim of meeting the legal needs of all vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the community

Liaise with other justice agencies to ensure that our strategies take account of their infrastructure developments and where practical and appropriate implement compatible systems that deliver inter-agency efficiencies.

Develop and implement a new grants and legal case management system that links and manages information holdings and supports efficient work practices.

Investigate the use of social media to facilitate and support the community education and information functions (see also Part 2: Community Education and Awareness).

Encourage and facilitate the extended use of audio-visual and web-based conferencing (integrated with the Legal Aid ACT website) to provide legal advice and information services conveniently and efficiently.

Investigate the use of emerging technologies to improve work practices and seamlessly collect, sort, and report on service activities.

Encourage and facilitate business process redesign so that recurring transactional work is automated.

Broaden the use of technologies such as discussion boards, wikis, network chat systems, and online videos to increase productivity and information sharing.

Have an easy to use digital records management system that is compliant with the Territory Records Act 2002

Implement a digital records management system as part of any new case management and grants management system.

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to ecologically sustainable development

Target a 50% decrease in the use of paper by 2017 by implementing technologies that reduce the requirement for printing.

Investigate technologies that makes screen reading more convenient and comfortable.


PARt 6 CoRPoRAte goVeRnAnCe AnD ReVenUePart 6 contains goals and strategies relating to the governance of Legal Aid ACT and securing future revenue.

goaLs strategies

Actively work to sustain and where possible increase revenue in order to maintain adequate service levels and respond to changing legal needs

Opportunities for additional government appropriations are pursued through the ACT Government’s annual budget business case process and annual funding submissions to the Commonwealth Government.

Operational and budget planning processes are informed by and integrated with the strategic plan and conducted through an annual planning cycle that meets relevant government budgeting and reporting requirements

In each financial year:

▪ a draft operational plan is prepared in February in advance of the preparation of the annual budget;

▪ a financial budget for the following year and forward estimates for the next three years are prepared in March/April and approved by the board subject to government revenue outcomes;

▪ financial statements, including the financial budget and forward estimates, together with balance sheets and cash flow statements are submitted and agreed with ACT Treasury in accordance with their formats and timetable;

▪ the Statement of Intent (including financial statements and other information prescribed by ACT Treasury) is agreed with ACT Treasury, endorsed by the Attorney-General and provided to the Treasurer by the prescribed date;

▪ the operational plan is reviewed in light of budget outcomes and the final version of the operational plan, budget and forward estimates are submitted to the board in June;

▪ implementation of the operational plan is monitored by the executive committee and progress reports are submitted to the board in February and June;

▪ financial performance against budget is monitored by the finance committee and financial results for each month and year to date are reported monthly to the board along with forecasts for the full year; and

▪ estimated outcomes for the current year and updated forward estimates are provided to ACT Treasury during the year according to ACT Treasury deadlines.


goaLs strategies

Reporting is of the highest quality and complies with current Commonwealth and Territory government requirements

During the term of the National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance Funding (NPA):

▪ Reports in the agreed format are provided to the ACT Attorney-General in compliance with the Territory Government’s obligations to submit reports under the NPA to the Commonwealth by the end of August and February in each year.

▪ Staff attend reporting meetings with representatives of the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department following the submission of the twice yearly reports.

Following expiry of the NPA Legal Aid ACT will provide reports in accordance with the applicable funding agreement under Section 8A of the Legal Aid Act 1977.


goaLs strategies

Legal assistance services are provided in the most effective, efficient and economical manner

Ensure that legal assistance services are provided in the most effective7 manner by:

▪ conducting periodic ‘snapshot’ surveys to determine the quality of legal assistance services and outcomes; and

▪ continuously improving services by addressing weaknesses identified in survey findings.

Ensure that legal assistance services are provided in the most efficient8 manner by:

▪ promoting efficient work practices through skills training and mentoring;

▪ standardising and streamlining recurring transactionaltasks;

▪ making maximum use of technology to support the administration of grants of assistance, high quality recording and storage of case management data and the provision of legal services;

▪ monitoring work practices through performance reviews;

▪ establishing the purpose and cost benefit of cost comparisons with other legal assistance service providers (including private lawyers) and government agencies by undertaking a cost-benefit analysis, having regard to the meaning of ‘efficiency’ in the context of Part 2 of the Legal Aid Act 1977 and the extent to which comparative service cost should be a determinant of work allocation decisions; and

▪ developing a cost-effective9 method of monitoring administrative and service efficiency.

7 ‘Effectiveness’ is the extent to which a service achieves a desired result.

8 ‘Efficiency is the extent to which resources are consumed in achieving a desired result.

9 ‘Cost-effectiveness’ is the achievement of a desired result at the least cost in resources.


goaLs strategies

Operational and financial risks are eradicated or minimised through a proactive risk management program

Develop a culture of risk awareness and devolve risk management responsibility to staff at all levels.

Periodically review and update risk management plans in consultation with functional areas and the audit committee.

Develop and implement annual audit plans having regard to the identification and analysis of risks faced by Legal Aid ACT and the strength of internal controls.

Review and test our Business Continuity Plan and Disaster Recovery Plan, at least annually.

Relevant policies and procedures are documented and monitored by means of:

▪ consolidating and indexing existing documentation including the Chief Executive Financial Instructions for easy searching;

▪ reviewing the currency of documentation on a revolving, biennial basis;

▪ identifying gaps in documentation;

▪ writing new policies and procedures where necessary; and

▪ regular scrutiny and action by the Payment Assurance Working Group (PAWG).

www.legalaidACT.org.au2 Allsop Street Canberra City

Phone (02) 6243 3411Fax (02) 6243 3435

[email protected]

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