The city's first free legal advice centre will be up and running in three months.
The new service will offer help to people unable to afford legal advice, like those who need a lawyer before they can claim legal aid.
Ho Hei-wah, director of the Society for Community Organisation (Soco), said the centre would cover the inadequacies of the legal aid system, which overlooks many important human rights cases and does not cover small claims, labour tribunal or refugee cases. He said although the system was to protect the rights of those who could not afford their own lawyers, it was difficult for anybody to secure financial assistance without having sought legal advice beforehand.
'Every now and then, we come across a situation where the victim is turned away by the Legal Aid Department without having much of a chance to explain their case. I have had to ring the department and tell them that our own lawyers believe this person has a strong case. The department staff would then say: 'Oh why didn't he mention it to us in the first place? Had that been the case, the matter could be sorted out more easily',' he said.
Mr Ho hopes the centre will handle between 50 and 100 cases every year. It aims to focus on test cases in human rights, social economic rights, and government policies - such as the large number of low-income tenants being evicted from public housing every year.
The director estimated the operational cost for the centre to be about $400,000 a year and has been securing sponsors and volunteer lawyers. He said more than 10 lawyers had agreed to help. The centre would be set up in a district with a large population living in poverty.
