For much of my career I have been passionate about three things: improving access to justice, supporting legal professionals, and embracing innovation to build a better future for our profession. Those passions are why I am so excited to announce the launch of The Future of Regional Legal Services — a national initiative by FLENA, delivered in partnership with ALA Law and JustFund.
Over the coming months we will travel through regional and remote communities right across Australia, connecting with local practitioners, professionals, community organisations and residents. The purpose is simple: to listen, to learn, and to better understand the opportunities and challenges facing communities outside our major cities.
Why now, and why on the road?
We speak constantly about access to justice. We discuss workforce shortages, rising costs, court delays, technological disruption and the future of legal practice. Yet too often those conversations are shaped from a city-centric perspective. The realities facing a family in the Kimberley are not the realities facing a family in Albany, Esperance or the Riverina — and one-size-fits-all thinking has left too many regional Australians without the support they need.
This initiative is not a speaking tour. It is not a promotional campaign. And it is certainly not about arriving with all the answers.
It is about asking better questions, in the places where the answers actually live.
What we are building
The initiative brings together four connected workstreams.
- Regional VoicesCaptures the experiences of practitioners, professionals and communities through a series of interviews.
- The RoadshowLed with ALA Law — this is how we connect in person.
- The Regional Access to Justice ProjectOur research and consultation engine.
- Insights 2027It all builds towards a flagship publication, The Future of Regional Legal Services – Insights 2027.
I am especially glad that JustFund is part of this. Access is not only about distance or technology, it is also about cost. For many regional families the question is not simply where to find help, but whether they can afford it at all. JustFund brings a dedicated focus on the funding and financial barriers that so often decide whether a matter proceeds.
What we are asking of you
If you work anywhere in the family law space — lawyer, barrister, mediator, FDRP, financial adviser, accountant, counsellor or support worker — your experience matters. And if you simply have a view on regional access to justice, we want to hear that too.
Two things you can do today
The first thing you can do is to complete our expression of interest form, and the second is to share it with someone who should have a say.
Complete the expression of interest formSome of the most innovative thinking in our profession is not found in large city firms. It is found in regional communities where professionals have learned to adapt, collaborate and solve problems in remarkable ways. Over the coming months I hope to shine a light on exactly those people, and to make sure their voices help shape what comes next.
Because meaningful change begins with meaningful conversations. And the best conversations start by listening.
A message from JustFund
Just Fund is proud to stand alongside Amanda Little, FLENA, and ALA Law for The Future of Regional Legal Services.
At JustFund, our core purpose is making access to justice easier and fairer for Australians right across the country, regardless of their postcodes. Every day, we see firsthand the unique hurdles regional clients face—not just in finding a suitable local practitioner, but in building that critical rapport and trust, and then overcoming the financial barrier to actually move forward with their matter.
Real social impact starts with listening to the people on the ground. We’re thrilled that funding and financial accessibility are part of this national conversation from day one, and we can’t wait to hear the insights gathered along the way!
