Members of the Sunshine Coast legal fraternity raised a record-breaking $50,000 for the Suncoast Community Legal Service (SCLS) at a wine dinner held at Bokarina on Thursday.
Now in its fourth year, the annual fundraising event, hosted by Travis Schultz & Partners (TSP) at Venue 114, welcomed more than 200 guests who marked the service’s 40th anniversary.
In the past 40 years, SCLS has provided each year an average of 3000 free advice sessions to the local community, 2000 information activities and 18 community legal education opportunities.
Noela L’Estrange SCLS President and former CEO of the Queensland Law Society, said it relied heavily on the support of partnerships, fundraisers and volunteers to make it possible to continue offering services to the Sunshine Coast’s 350,000-plus residents.
“The community is growing in numbers every year and with it, so does the demand to help financially disadvantaged people with free legal advice,” she said.
“This year being our 40th anniversary, is also a celebration of the 90-plus volunteers across the Coast who donate their time to those who can’t pay for their own legal advice. Our community of legal volunteers across the Sunshine Coast have given countless hours over the years to make justice accessible to all.
“Partners like Travis Schultz & Partners, and annual fundraisers like this event, raise funds that go toward our Community Lawyer Program. These programs run in seven locations across the Sunshine Coast including Maroochydore, Caloundra, Nambour, Noosa, Beerwah, Maleny, and Pomona.”
The keynote address was delivered by Robyna May, an author and legal technology consultant who spoke about the transformative impact of AI within the legal industry.
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