Free legal advice saves farm

“This is a particularly difficult time for people who can’t afford to pay for help with unpaid wages, mounting debts and eviction.”

A new legal service may be able to help you.

Central Queensland residents who “fall in the gaps” between the Legal Aid means test and the expense of a private lawyer are invited to make use of Everyday Justice’s new free service.

The charity’s managing lawyer Amy Burton said one of their early cases was helping a farmer who had signed a “dodgy” mortgage contract gain compensation.

“The risk was he could have lost his farm,” she said.

The pro bono team has about 80 interns in its Oxley offices, who are available via video chat or over the phone.

“The response has been steady from all over Australia,” Ms Burton said.

“If we get a flood of requests, then we’ll increase the number of people working for the clients in needs.”

The law firm behind Everyday Justice, Mills Oakley, is already investigating the possibility of involving interns living outside of Oxley.

Mills Oakley’s CEO John Nerurker said that the need for pro bono legal advice had never been greater.

“This has been a tough period for many people, and a particularly difficult time for people who can’t afford to pay for a lawyer to help them with issues like unpaid wages, mounting debts and possible eviction from rental accommodation,” he said.

“Everyday Justice will provide free legal advice for the ‘missing middle’.”