About
The Legal Needs Project is led by Dr Catherine Hastings, Research Fellow, Macquarie Law School. Catherine secured a three-year Macquarie University Research Fellowship (MQRF) to study the legal needs of clients of the Australian legal assistance sector.
The Legal Needs Project is advised by a Reference Group with members occupying a diversity of roles within organisations across the Australian legal assistance sector.
Dr Catherine Hastings
Catherine has over a decade’s experience in academic and applied research settings, including running running her own social research and evaluation consultancy.
Since 2011, Catherine has worked for community legal centres and their peaks on advocacy, policy, project management, data analysis and training projects. With Justin Finighan, she developed the National Legal Needs Assessment Toolkit and trained over 35 Community Legal Centres in its use. Catherine has a PhD in Sociology from Macquarie University.
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Reference Group
Marie Baird, Victoria Legal Aid
Gerard Brody, (formerly) Consumer Action Law Centre
Helen Campbell, Women's Legal Service NSW
Jane Cipants, Legal Aid NSW
Emma Golledge, Kingsford Legal Centre
Brodie Lewis, Albany Community Legal Centre
Jamie McConnachie, NATSILS
Chelsea McKinney, Community Legal Western Australia
Cathy McMorrine, Community Justice Services SA
Nadine Miles, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT)
Rosslyn Monro, Community Legal Centres Queensland
Susan Scott, Data and Research Consultant