Emma's story

Emma Hunt - lawyer, 1997 - 2000

For Emma, one of the key strengths of community lawyers is being able to holistically address clients' needs, to create sustained outcomes. Now a governmental principal legal policy officer, she recalls her time as a casework lawyer at the coal face of community legal practice. 

Tapping into emerging legal need

Emma worked across many areas of law. She first managed the night service volunteer lawyers, taking on any case work that emerged. Her case work included criminal law, administrative appeals tribunal cases, children's law and migration, as the centre's first migration lawyer.  

"I tapped into this massive unmet need you know which was a bit overwhelming. I think I had 100 files migration files," she recalls. Many of her clients at that time were from the Horn of Africa, reflecting the wave of migration at the time. 

Like all community lawyers, Emma balanced casework with law reform and advocacy and was on many different policy working groups. 

"I was on family violence and police issues working groups. Police shootings that were a huge problem at that time and racial profiling of Africans. But it's obviously still a problem now," she opines.  

Memorable cases

Emma particuarly enjoyed litigation and was prepared to take on tough cases from start to finish. Through her migration law practice, Emma ran many complex cases involving a variety of court appearances, including in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She also made many other court appearances in different jurisdictions.  A Supreme Court appearance stands out.

"I ran a case in the Supreme Court a bail application where I managed to get a child out on bail who'd been a long term client of mine. We went to the Supreme Court in its originating jurisdiction to get bail and that was successful..."

What makes a community lawyer

Emma agrees that community lawyering is a specialised role. In her view it requires an understanding of many areas of law that affect the marginalised and disadvantaged. It also means, she explains, "stepping out of ones comfort zone."

"The nature of the work means you can be asked for advice about numerous matters, some of which you may have really good expertise in but others you may not. And so it's been being willing to do the research or seek help from other specialist lawyers."

This well-rounded knowledge also enables community lawyers to respond holistically to clients' needs, to create sustained outcomes. 

"It gives you the opportunity to really address a person's issues and not just silo a particular issue. It allows you to work in a holistic way so you can connect in with a social worker or with a youth worker or you can make referrals to a domestic violence service or any other service that is needed."

In that way Emma describes the multi-faceted nature of communior ty lawyering, which is now more widely recognised as an effective approach to making meaningful change to peoples' lives.  

"Often you feel like you're a lawyer, a part lawyer part social worker, part shoulder to cry on [laughs]. But you know that that's been a huge benefit that people are really recognising that through the Access to Justice reviews and various things that have really progressed that view over the last few years." 

Enduring community partnerships and outreach 

Emma believes that the success of any community organisation lies in community trust and partnerships and this was central to IMCL's work.

"Being known in the community in the North Melbourne catchment was really important and we worked quite hard to maintain and improve relationships with all the stakeholders in the justice sector, but also more broadly in the community sector. That meant actively participating in and connecting with the community."

Emma vividly recalls her outreach work and the importance of reaching out to clients who would be unlikely to seek legal help. This included Doutta Galla, the inner-north west's then community health centre (now known as one of CoHealth's services) and Ozanam House, a VincentCare supported accommodation service for men experiencing homelessness. 

Central to these partnerships were the relationships with social workers and other support workers, who acted as referral points for clients. 

In particular she remembers the debt and infringement work, saying it was "endless work," but "rewarding."

Nearly 20 years on, IMCL continues these partnerships, including a fortnightly legal advice clinic at Ozanam Community Centre, a drop-in centre for men and women who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and/or are socially excluded.

Memorable cases

Emma particuarly enjoyed litigation and was prepared to take on tough cases from start to finish. Through her migration law practice, Emma run many complex cases involving a variety of court appearances, including in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She also made many other court appearances in different jurisdictions.  A Supreme Court appearance stands out.

"I ran a case in the Supreme Court a bail application where I managed to get a child out on bail who'd been a long term client of mine. We went to the Supreme Court in its originating jurisdiction to get bail and that was successful..."

Imagining IMCL's future 

There's no doubt in Emma's mind that IMCL would continue and go from strength to strength and she is pleased it has expanded to address unmet legal need through the employment of even more solicitors. 

"Yes yes yes yes. I would have expected it ...If anything you know there was a huge potential for it to grow and to go into doing work in other areas and I gather that has been the case."

She says more lawyers mean more impact. 

"I would have hoped I suppose that it could grow to being a much more decent size. You know maybe six or seven lawyers. That way you can have the sort of impact that you really would like to have in a community, to respond to every area of law that the community really need."

You can find out more about IMCL's current staff here.