Bar News speaks with Carolina Soto of Black Chambers about her work as a volunteer barrister at Women’s Legal Service NSW.

Bar News (BN): Can you tell me a little bit about Women’s Legal Service NSW (‘WLS’) and what that organisation does?

Carolina Soto (CS): WLS is an independent non-profit organisation that provides a voice for women in New South Wales. It promotes access to justice, particularly for women who are disadvantaged by their social and/or economic circumstances. It is a one-of-a-kind service that fosters legal and social change through providing legal advice and casework services in order to redress the inequalities that women experience. It also conducts regular community legal education presentations for legal practitioners and other pivotal workers outside the ‘legal space’, such as social workers.

The solicitors at WLS work tirelessly, and it is a phenomenal service. In 2022 and 2023 alone, WLS assisted 1,824 clients, submitted 30 law reform submissions and provided 2,255 legal advices to women in New South Wales. Its First Nation’s Women’s Legal Program was recognised for its work in international family law as finalist in the Human Rights Awards.

BN: How did you come to volunteer your time with WLS?

CS: When I was called to the Bar in 2018, I was hoping to move away from having an exclusive criminal law practice towards a practice centred around family law, with a particular focus on parenting matters. Another reader in my course recommended me to WLS, and they called me to appear in a five-day hearing in the Children’s Court care jurisdiction. I was excited to learn about the care and protection jurisdiction. I didn’t hesitate to take on the brief – and the new challenge.

The matter involved a mother seeking restoration of her children into her care, and it gave me a greater understanding of the cross-jurisdictional issues that can arise in these matters – issues such as domestic violence, mental health and outstanding (or finalised) criminal charges and the impact of all these factors on access to justice. That hearing was a steep learning curve, but it introduced me to the pivotal and important work in that jurisdiction. It also opened my eyes to the significant work the solicitors at WLS were doing; I wanted to be part of that exciting, supportive, knowledgeable and justice-focused work and advocacy for women.

BN: Can you tell us a little bit about what your role as a volunteer barrister at WLS involves?

CS: The work is really varied – in both complexity and scope. It involves advising and/or appearing for clients in an array of matters and in an array of different courts. I have appeared in criminal proceedings or contested apprehended domestic violence order matters in the Local Court in circumstances where (as often occurs) a female victim of domestic violence has been charged by police in response to an allegation that is brought against her by the perpetrator of the domestic violence. In some cases, I appear on a grant of legal aid (from Legal Aid NSW), and at other times, pro bono.

I am also now working with WLS in the family law space, particularly in relation to parenting matters in the Evatt list, which is a specialist list to manage eligible cases that are considered to be high risk through more intensive case management. It ensures that families who are the most vulnerable are provided with support and timely court events.

My work at WLS also includes contributing to policy reform submissions; I’m also part of their formal barrister ‘buddy’ program, whereby barristers are linked into pro bono family law matters in conjunction with various law firms.

BN: Do you find it difficult to balance your role at WLS with your paid work as a barrister?

CS: All my work, whether it is paid or unpaid, is important to me, and it is all meaningful work to the clients that I appear for. For me, there is no demarcation between my paid and voluntary work. The juggling of competing work demands is an issue for all counsel, not just me.

Black Chambers has a core emphasis on justice and equality, which has been a great springboard for maintaining a social justice component to my practice at the Bar, and I can balance all the important parts of my work as a barrister. More recently, I am getting better at giving myself more ‘in chambers/working from home’ time than I have done before, which has helped. I can do this more now that I am more established as a barrister – in my formative years at the Bar I didn’t have the financial freedom to justify a day out of court, so often the volunteer work occurred late in the evenings and/or on weekends.

It is also really helpful, in trying to balance my pro bono work with WLS and my paid work as a barrister, that WLS is an innovative workplace that embraces flexible work. Instructing solicitors can accommodate conferences over the telephone or Microsoft Teams, where that is appropriate. This enables a cohesive working relationship that supports everyone’s need for balance. The WLS lawyers are the most hardworking, devoted, justice-driven lawyers I have encountered. Needless to say, I’m conscious that it is not only me balancing competing demands when we work together – I am sure they too spend many hours outside of work, preparing their matters and ensuring clients are understood, protected and heard.

BN: It obviously takes time and effort to give back your time in a volunteer capacity. What motivates you to keep volunteering in this role?

CS: As a child, I grew up in a household impacted by domestic violence, which was difficult. I saw the impact of domestic violence firsthand as a child, and then I lived through the ramifications of it after my parents separated. I took legal studies in high school, and it cemented my passion for justice, and I decided to become a lawyer. After I was admitted, I made a conscious decision to work within the domestic violence space.

In my work, I have always been invested in advocating for women, particularly those who have children – I have seen that keeping a mother and her child (or children) together leads to better short-term and long-term outcomes for everyone involved. The fundamental right to live without fear and the right to have safe housing are issues that are especially important to me.

BN: What do you see as the importance of barristers giving back to the community in volunteer positions, such as your role at WLS?

CS: I think it is important to give back where we can. I had a modest upbringing, and it was instilled in me – by my mother in particular – that you should always try to remember those doing it tougher than you. I feel privileged that I am able to work as a barrister and contribute meaningfully to my clients’ lives.

Volunteering has always been a part of my legal career. As a law student, I worked at various community legal centres; as an admitted lawyer I interned at the United Nations Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva; and now I give back as a barrister in my work with WLS and my involvement in mentoring programs for students. Volunteering has given me opportunities to work in varied places and have many experiences. It provides a platform to learn from people with whom you might not ordinarily engage in your everyday life.

BN: If New South Wales barristers wanted to be involved in volunteering with WLS, or donating to that cause in other ways, how might they go about that?

CS: Contact WLS directly through their various contact methods on their website
<www.wlsnsw.org.au/about-us/>, or interested barristers can also send an email directly to carolina@blackchambers.com.au.

BN: Do you have any advice for New South Wales barristers who would like to explore working in a volunteer capacity?

CS: You won’t look back if you start! And you’ll meet some incredible people along the way. It will keep you focused and humble and, more importantly, it is likely to reinvigorate your passion for justice that may have slipped away after relentless court work over the years. Nothing to lose and everything to gain!