Queensland Law Society Media Release
Law Council of Australia Regional, Rural and Remote Survey
The Law Council of Australia today released the results of a national survey of lawyers working in regional, rural and remote areas across the nation.
The Law Council, which is the peak representative body of the Australian legal profession covering some 56,000 lawyers, conducted the survey in association with its constituent bodies, including the Queensland Law Society.
The survey results from Queensland indicate that almost half – 49 percent – of the law firms in regional, rural and remote areas of the state believe that they do not have enough lawyers to service their current client base. And more than a third (42 percent) say that they do not have enough lawyers to meet the legal needs of their community.
The survey also showed that the principals of law firms in regional, rural and remote areas of the state are very concerned about succession planning (65 percent), attracting additional lawyers (56 percent) and replacing departures (45 percent).
The Rural, Regional and Remote Area Lawyers Survey was commissioned to explore concerns within the profession that there were significant problems in recruiting and retaining lawyers in country Australia. Through the study, the Law Council aimed to obtain data from country lawyers about the current and future needs of their practices with an emphasis on exploring future employment intentions, retirement, succession planning, legal aid and pro bono (without charge) work.
“Ultimately, it is the responsibility of government to ensure that the justice system is fair and accessible to all, but we must work together to achieve that objective,” QLS President Mr Ian Berry said. “The Queensland Law Society (QLS) is well aware of the concerns of our country members and we have been working with the Law Council and others to assist in the development of solutions for these issues, particularly employment.
“For example, we have created the QLS employment service, Legalstaff, which is specifically designed to offer an alternative to traditional “full service” recruitment agencies that can either not be found in, or do not cater for the needs of, regional areas. Legalstaff has placed a number of solicitors in these areas and is continuing to help these practices recruit new staff.
“Another initiative is the QLS Legal Careers Expo, which will be held on August 6. It brings careers and employment opportunities for students and law graduates by connecting legal organisations with thousands of career-minded individuals. The regional market is specifically represented by a District Law Association exhibitor booth to promote the career opportunities that exist outside of Brisbane.
“We have also established through the 2009 Hays-QLS salary survey that, contrary to popular belief, lawyers in country areas do not necessarily earn less than their city counterparts. While there is some variation, depending on the size of the firm and their experience, in a number of categories regional, rural and remote lawyers actually earn more.
“Our continuing legal education program ran 45 regional seminars in 2007/8 attracting 1031 delegates, and nearly all of our city-based seminars and conferences are now available via video link to QLS members at centres throughout the state.
“The Queensland survey respondents said that their main reason for working in regional areas was work-life balance, and we are working with the University of the Sunshine Coast on a study that will provide a more detailed picture of how this impacts on the legal profession.
“In line with our strategic plan, we have undertaken market research to ensure that the views of regional members feed into our future plans, and our focus on developing web-based resources and other technology should ensure new ways for regional members to either contribute or seek support.
“In a broader context, we will continue to work with the Law Council, our District Law Associations, government, tertiary institutions and other legal bodies to address these issues.
“There are many proposals that have been mooted and are open to discussion. For example, is there a way that young lawyers could offset their HECs debts by accepting employment in areas lacking in legal services?”
Other key findings in the Rural, Regional and Remote Area Lawyers Survey included:
- 62 percent of Queensland respondents said that their firms accepted pro bono (without charge) matters.
- 70 percent said that they undertook additional volunteer work within their communities.
ends
Additional information is contained in the Law Council of Australia Queensland fact sheet which accompanies this release. The full national report is available from the Law Council’s website at www.lawcouncil.asn.au. National media inquiries should be directed to Elenore Eriksson at the Law Council on 0419 269 855 or email elenore.eriksson@lawcouncil.asn.au
Please direct Queensland media inquires to John Teerds at the Queensland Law Society on 07 3842 5814 or email j.teerds@qls.com.au.
