PILCH connects the expertise of private lawyers with the needs of the community, non-government organisations and individuals seeking legal assistance.
PILCH is a community legal centre dedicated to referral and advocacy. Our unique membership structure means that we have access to the skills and expertise of hundreds of legal practitioners in the private sector. PILCH members accept matters pro bono on the basis of assessment and referral by PILCH.
What we do for individuals and not-for-profit organisations
PILCH receives direct requests for legal assistance from the community via telephone, email and post. These requests are assessed according to legal merit, and whether the matter raises issues of public interest.
PILCH coordinates legal assistance free of charge for individuals and not-for-profit organisations, provided that their legal issues meet our public interest criteria.
Get help for an individual, a not-for-profit organisation or an animal law issue
What we do for the community
PILCH monitors our casework and the media and liaises with partners in legal and community services to identify emerging trends and areas of need for targeted legal intervention.
PILCH develops and runs strategic projects to address the issues of public interest identified in these ways. The impact of PILCH’s projects extends far beyond positive outcomes for individual clients. Our projects encompass large-scale coordination of legal action, advocacy, policy submissions and targeted media with the intention of changing laws, policies and practices that are unjust, unsustainable or disproportionately impact on vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised sectors of the community.
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What we do for members
PILCH receives hundreds of requests for assistance each year from individuals and not-for profit organisations. PILCH conducts merits assessment on these matters and determines whether there is a public interest in pursuing legal action, before conducting targeted referrals relating to our members’ areas of practice and corporate social responsibility priorities.
PILCH proactively identifies issues of public concern and widespread social impact, and coordinates legal action and advocacy to address matters of public interest. PILCH provides its members with training, bridges communication gaps between members and clients, and enables members to participate in a structured and defined way within coordinated and strategic public interest projects.
What we do to support legal services and access to justice in New South Wales
Community Legal Centres and the Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales provide essential legal services to large numbers of disadvantaged clients, as well as carrying on their own projects and activities in the areas of law reform and public interest litigation.
The massive energy and commitment of these organisations is not always matched by massive resources. Legal need in the community continues to exceed the capacity of these services to provide assistance, and large numbers of individuals and organisations continue to be turned away.
PILCH positions our work to address unmet needs for legal assistance and advocacy. PILCH aims to complement, not replicate the activities of other stakeholders and service providers. By engaging private firms and barristers in pro bono work, PILCH is able to promote universal access to justice without diminishing the small pool of resources available to legal services in New South Wales.
View our current partners and networks
