The Community Law Centre established by the Legal Aid Commission in conjunction with the University of the South Pacific’s School of Law will be operational this year.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the commission and university on November 8, 2010.
Commission director Mr Sunil Sharma said the centre would offer much needed legal services to members of the public.
“The centre will provide advisory and some litigation services on civil matters,” Mr Sharma said.
“It will offer a range of services to members of the public on various areas of civil law.”
The centre will be run by final year USP law students but managed and supervised by a senior lawyer funded by USP.
“The legal practitioner will be supervising students and oversee the entire centre,” Mr Sharma said.
“This will also give law students the opportunity to gain practical experience.”
Mr Sharma said the first Community Law Centre office would be based in Suva.
“The centre will be operational this year, however, much depends on the completion of the new Legal Aid Commission Suva office project and renovation works, which are due to start in January 2011,” he said.
“The centre will operate out of the commission’s office .”