Expressions of Interest sought for Participation in Marrickville Legal Centre Duty Barrister Scheme for Consumer and Commercial Division of the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal

16/12/2021

The President of NCAT, the Hon Justice Lea Armstrong, has approved the introduction of a pilot duty barrister and solicitor scheme (Scheme) in the Consumer and Commercial Division (CCD) of the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The Scheme is an initiative of the Marrickville Legal Centre, and is to be implemented in the CCD of NCAT on a trial basis upon the resumption of face to face lists in the CCD (this is likely to be in or after February 2022). The Marrickville Legal Centre has successfully introduced a similar scheme in the Burwood Local Court and provides part of the tenants' advocacy service at NCAT.

The CCD of NCAT receives approximately 55,000 applications each year. The Scheme will initially operate to provide assistance to self-represented litigants in consumer claims proceedings (including claims involving the Australian Consumer Law) and strata schemes legislation at NCAT’s Sydney registry, Civic Tower, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney. Expressions of interest are sought from barristers available to attend NCAT’s Sydney registry to provide advice to self-represented litigants on a pro bono basis, during both preliminary group list hearings as well as special fixture hearings, for periods of between 1 hour and 3 hours.

The Marrickville Legal Centre has created an Expression of Interest link that allows barristers to indicate availability (the password will autofill): Duty Advocacy Scheme - Marrickville Legal Centre.

For more information about the Scheme, please email Justin Abi-Daher, acting Managing Principal Solicitor at Marrickville Legal Centre at jabidaher@mlc.org.au. For more information about the Marrickville Legal Centre and other duty lawyer services it provides, please visit www.mlc.org.au.


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