SOLD OUT – Trauma-informed, rights-based legal assistance in practice training

This event is now sold out. Please email cpd@lawsocietywa.asn.au to be placed on the waitlist.

This interactive 3.5-hour session, which has been delivered in all states and territories around Australia, helps you to realise the impacts of trauma on clients and staff and to respond with appropriate supports and referrals. Offering knowledge, lived experience and practical scenarios, the training will equip you with practical skills and strategies to be more trauma-informed with clients and yourself.

The session covers:

• Understanding trauma and trauma-informed principles
• Applying trauma-informed practices in daily legal practice and why it matters
• Vicarious trauma management and self-care.

This is an interactive session with the use of small groups in breakout rooms. We appreciate you having your camera on for the session.

The trauma-informed, rights-based training comes from the National Legal Aid With You Project. The project supports the Australian legal assistance sector to embed trauma-informed rights-based practice in service delivery. For more information, see With You Training | National Legal Aid

What You’ll Learn 

Participants will:

• Develop an understanding of trauma and trauma-informed rights-based practice.
• Recognise the impacts of trauma on both clients and staff, and how these may present in legal settings.
• Acquire practical skills and strategies to support client affected by trauma.
• Explore core trauma informed principles and apply them to legal practice through scenario-based group learning.
• Deepen understanding of vicarious trauma and identify signs of overinvolvement and under-involvement.
• Consider individual and organisational strategies to reduce the risk of vicarious trauma.

Presenters 

Katie Sarraf, Lived Experience Trainer – With You Project, National Legal Aid

Katie (she/her) is a Lived Experience Project Officer in the With You team at Legal Aid NSW. With over two decades of experience in the human services sector, Katie draws on her lived experience and diverse work in child protection, suicide prevention, and legal services to contribute to the Trauma-Informed Rights-Based training offered by the project. Katie has worked as an advocate supporting individuals with cognitive issues in the legal system, including providing police support and assisting clients in District and Supreme Court matters. A criminology graduate and current law student, Katie collaborates with academics at the University of Newcastle and is passionate about integrating trauma-informed practices into legal services.

Liz Lindberg, Legal Training Officer – With You Project, National Legal Aid

Liz (she/her) is a Legal Training Officer with the With You Project. A qualified lawyer, facilitator and mediator, Liz brings broad experience across criminal, environment, human rights, discrimination and sexual harassment law. She has worked for over 20 years in private practice, government and the community legal sector. Liz is committed to building a more trauma-informed legal system through education, training and policy reform.

Target Audience 

Priority will be given to sole practitioners engaged in Legal Aid work, followed by employees of Legal Aid WA and professionals within the legal assistance sector.  Other Law Society members and non-members will be given any remaining spots.