“Law4community is an innovative website for community sector workers. who need to find legal information fast. Produced by the Fitzroy Legal Service, the law4communtiy website was launched on Wednesday 19 May at Ross House during Law Week.

Many community workers, from across the sector are fast becoming the first contact for clients seeking legal assistance.

Law4Community was created to address this need for accessible legal information. Law4community gives community sector workers the ability to recognise their clients’ legal issues, and to refer to the appropriate legal service.

Features of Law4community are:

* A simple three step directory which can locate legal services using the characteristics of a presenting problem
* Ten practical legal checklists on common issues such as neighborhood disputes, finances, housing, immigration, ageing, and family violence
* Information and articles on the latest policy reform from across the community sector.
* The website is easy to use and written in plain English

Law4community is useful when interviewing clients as it enables workers to understand the broader context of a presenting problem, how to distinguish legal issues and where to get legal and non-legal assistance for their clients.

Law4community was developed in consultation with leading community sector providers and is customised to the needs of community sector workers. The site features ten common community issues and includes information on alternative dispute resolution and mediation, and how to access ombudsmen. There is also a section on the rights and responsibilities of community workers.

Law4community is a unique legal resource that will give community sector workers the information and the confidence to help clients manage their legal issues and to recognise and avoid legal trouble spots. Law4Community is a companion website to the comprehensive, The Law Handbook Online found at www.lawhandbook.org.au, a practical guide to the law in Victoria. Law4community and The Law Handbook Online provide accessible legal information for the community.