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A new free legal advice service in Warkworth has got off to a flying start, with clinics booking up weeks in advance and a fifth lawyer joining the team.
Ben Molloy, from Haigh Lyon, has joined clinic founder and environment lawyer, Vicki-Morrison-Shaw of Atkins Holm Majurey; Insight Legal’s Ben Lupton; Tanya Wood, of Minter Ellison; and Jackie Woolerton, of Webster Malcolm Law.
The legal clinics were launched in March and are held every three weeks at one of two venues – the women lawyers operate out of Rodney Women’s Centre in Morpeth Street, and the men from Homebuilders Family Support Services in Hexham Street. Each clinic has four appointments of 15 minutes each, which women’s centre manager Colleen Julian says fill up fast.
“It would pay for people to book their spot ASAP. The clinics are proving to be very successful, so there is obviously a need in this community for this service, with clinics filling up weeks in advance,” she says. “All of the feedback has been very positive and people are pleased to see this service available in their community.”
Colleen says people are using the service for a number of reasons, from being unable to travel out of the area to community law centres (the nearest are in Waitemata or Whangarei) to making general enquiries or seeking advice on what their next step
should be.
The next clinic will be held on May 18 with Jackie Woolerton, at Rodney Women’s Centre, then June 8 (Ben Malloy, Homebuilders), June 29 (Ben Lupton, Homebuilders), July 20 (Jackie Woolerton, women’s centre) and August 3 (Tanya Wood, women’s centre).
Info and bookings: Rodney Women’s Centre 425 7261 or Homebuilders 425 7048. There is also a comprehensive free Community Law Manual available online at communitylaw.org.nz
