Celebrating 40 years of legal service

BARWON Community Legal Service has celebrated not only four decades of helping the community but also its longest-serving employee.

Elsie Stokes was the first employee and first lawyer when the then Geelong Community Legal Service opened its doors in 1986, and retired after exactly 40 years in the job last month.

Stokes’ experiences throughout the entire life of the free legal service was one of many stories told at the Barwon Community Legal Service 40th anniversary celebration, which took place at Wurdi Youang at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre on Thursday last week.

Stokes offered some advice for new lawyers coming into the service.

“For the first 20 years, don’t panic,” she said.

“When I was principal lawyer I had 60 files and I could run through them all in my head. I got to one and thought ‘Oh, I forgot the time; it was meant to be lodged yesterday’ and it was two in the morning and I’m there in a cold sweat.

“Then I thought ‘It’s two in the morning, I can’t do anything, I’ll do it tomorrow’.”

She said lawyers should be holistic to their clients.

“People are not numbers. Fifteen per cent of the population are not literate, so you can’t just give someone some phone advice – they won’t remember, they won’t even understand what you’ve told them,” she said.

“So you have to try to give them something to read, send them links to what they can read.

“Write them letters confirming your advice and tailor it to their education, and treat them like people.”

Kilkenny said Community Legal Centres stepped in early to help.

“You help people navigate systems that can otherwise feel overwhelming, intimidating, inaccessible,” she said.

“But here’s the thing: you do it with compassion. You do it with humanity, and you do it with care, and that’s why you are so trusted in our communities.

“That’s why I say here today you are my favorite lawyers. You make a profound difference in the lives of so many Victorians.”

Connell said the service had been there for people when they had nowhere else to turn for 40 years.

“Being the first regional Community Legal Centre in Victoria reflects our long-standing belief that everyone deserves access to justice, no matter where they live,” she said.

“Our work goes beyond legal assistance. It is grounded in early intervention, prevention, community education, and systemic advocacy, helping address the root causes of legal problems before they escalate.”

Other speakers at the event included Victorian Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny, Barwon Community Legal Service chief executive Bryanna Connell, board chair Blake Edwards and a video message from Richard Coverdale, who helped establish Geelong Community Legal Service.

Barwon Community Legal Service was Victoria’s first regional community legal centre and has supported its clients to deal with issues including family violence, family law, tenancy and housing, fines and infringements, and other civil law issues.

The 130 attendees at Thursday’s event included existing and former staff, community partners and organisations, sector colleagues and board members.