ABOUT
FAIR WORK
CLINIC
關於勞工平權社
The Fair Work Clinic was launched as a pilot project in 2021 in collaboration with the Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association (“HKWWA”).
It is the first legal clinic that focuses on providing free legal advice on employment and labour disputes in Hong Kong. While there are currently several channels to access free legal services in Hong Kong, we hope to distinguish ourselves by providing holistic casework assistance throughout a client’s journey through the legal system, with the aim of making justice more accessible, and less intimidating.
Since 2021, the Clinic has screened over 51 cases and facilitated over 41 free legal advice sessions with pro bono lawyers.
「勞工平權社」作為一個試點項目於2021年與香港婦女勞工協會（「女工會」）合作推出。
這是香港第一家專注於僱傭及勞資糾紛方面的法律診所。 儘管目前在香港有其他獲得免費法律服務的渠道，我們希望透過為勞工提供全方位的法律援助，令市民明白獲取司法公正並非一件十分困難或麻煩的事情。
自 2021 年以來，本「勞工平權社」已篩選超過 51 件案件，並協助公益律師提供了 41 場的免費法律諮詢會議。
THE PROBLEM
現存的問題
Existing free legal clinics tend to provide short legal advice services, with each consultation ranging between 15 to 30 minutes, and pro bono lawyers assigned to a clinic consultation often do not have prior understanding of the case and relevant research at hand, and therefore may only be able to provide preliminary or general advice when they speak to the client at the legal clinic session. These sessions may therefore come across as too rushed for some clients – by the time they finish explaining their story and answer the lawyers’ questions, there is little time left for the actual legal consultation.
After the pro bono lawyer outlines next steps for the client, it is for the client to take the matter into their own hands to follow through, and the lawyer will drop out of the picture. Follow-up service is rare, as these clinic sessions were designed to be one-off in nature. PILnet suggests that without proper follow-up with the client, the preliminary legal advice given to the client may be wasted because they may not act on it if the advice is not well-explained. Other than the lack of continuity of assistance, it is also an inefficient use of time as the client needs to repeat their situation if they sign up for another session, usually with a different duty lawyer.
Finally, clients often feel anxious or nervous when meeting lawyers, particularly when they have to go to a law firm for clinic sessions. The service targets may be reluctant to reach out even though the service is free of charge as they are not comfortable with sitting down with a lawyer themselves.
現時的免費法律診所往往只提供較簡短的法律諮詢服務。每次的諮詢時間多介乎於15至30分鐘之間。鑑於被分配到法律診所提供意見諮詢的公益律師通常在事前未有機會了解案件或作相關的研究，因此他們與市民會面時一般只能提供初步或籠統的法律意見。另外，由於市民在會面時先需要和律師解釋案件情況並回答相關問題，真正預留給法律諮詢的時間其實甚少。這些法律諮詢會議對市民而言因而顯得有點倉促。
由於現有的法律診所一般只提供一次性的諮詢服務，公益律師在為市民概述了下一步所需要採取的措施後，他們便需要自己處理一切後續事宜。PILnet 提及，若沒有適當地跟進案件情況，原先提供給市民的初步法律意見可能會被浪費。這是因為市民未必能夠在一次的會面後充分了解他們需要做的事情並採取相關的行動。另外，缺乏持續性的協助令市民在需要進一步的法律意見時，需要重新查詢並向新的公益律師複述案件情況，導致處理案件的效率大大減低。
最後，市民有機會會因為需要面對律師而感到焦慮或緊張，尤其是當他們必須到律師事務所進行會面。因此，即使法律診所是免費的，市民亦有機會因為覺得與律師相處不自在而不願意主動尋求幫助。
OUR MODEL
我們的模式
What makes us different:
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Case summaries and research notes are completed before the clinic session, which helps save pro bono lawyers’ time in understanding the basics of a potential case. The pro bono lawyer can also offer more tailored and concrete legal advice
for the service target upon having a greater understanding of the case and the relevant law surrounding
the topic.
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Case follow-through after the initial legal advice session. Our caseworkers will take notes at the advice session and help clients with next steps.
If further legal advice or assistance
is needed, we arrange further consultations for clients to meet with the same lawyer again.
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Our legal clinic sessions are conducted in the community at our partner NGOs’ centres. Clients can meet with lawyers in a comfortable and familiar environment, with the support of trusted caseworkers and family members.
我們的不同之處：
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在諮詢會議前完成案件摘要和法律研究
在諮詢會議前完成案件摘要有助公益律師節省於會面時了解事件基本情況的時間。我們提供的法律研究材料更能讓公益律師在了解案情和相關法律後，為市民提供更具體和針對性的法律建議。
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在首次法律諮詢會議後跟進案件
我們的員工會在諮詢會議上記筆記並協助市民採取後續行動。 如果市民需要進一步的法律意見或幫助，我們會安排市民與同一位義務律師進行再一次的法律諮詢。
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我們的法律諮詢會議會所合作的
社福機構的社區中心內進行
市民可以在我們的員工以及家人的陪同下，與義務律師在熟悉和自在的環境中會面。
Rundown of clinic sessions 免費法律諮詢服務流程
Clinic Caseworker identifies potential clients through internal referral, community outreach or public promotion
勞工平權社同事會透過內部轉介、社區外展、或推廣計劃尋找需要免費法律服務的市民
Clinic Caseworker meets with potential clients and obtains preliminary information
勞工平權社同事會和當事人面談以獲取有關查詢的初步信息
Our Clinic Caseworker screens cases and provides party names for conflict check
勞工平權社同事會根據查詢問題的性質和情況篩選案件並作利益衝突查核
Our Clinic Caseworker prepares a case package for pro bono lawyer prior to clinic session
勞工平權社同事會在諮詢會議前為義務律師準備案件撮要和相關法律材料
Pro bono lawyer attends clinic session
to give advice
義務律師參與諮詢會議為當事人提供法律意見
Our Clinic Caseworker drafts summary of advice given for pro bono lawyer to approve
勞工平權社同事會協助起草法律意見摘要以待義務律師核準
