Calling all justice tech trailblazers

Friday, 26 August 2022

Technology trailblazers, legal professionals and community groups with innovative proposals to increase access to justice are being invited to apply for the latest round of the NSW Government’s Access to Justice Innovation Fund (AJIF) grants.

Attorney General Mark Speakman said AJIF grants totaling up to $250,000 are available to fund projects that can help resolve common legal problems and reduce barriers to justice.

“Making it easier for people, especially those in disadvantaged communities, to solve common legal problems quickly and easily is a key priority for the NSW Government,” Mr Speakman said.

“We know that technology and innovative approaches have an important role to play in supporting and enhancing access to justice.

“Over the past three years, we have seen some outstanding projects developed through the AJIF program that are now making a real difference to people’s lives.

“Providing innovators with the opportunity and the funding to enhance the way we do things in the justice space is an investment in our state’s future.”

AJIF grants are allocated to new, low cost, high impact projects that reduce barriers to the justice system, with a focus on communities experiencing disadvantage.

Projects can include those that aim:

to explore new approaches to the delivery of legal assistance services and the resolution of legal problems
to help people to navigate and access the justice system
to promote collaborative approaches to reducing barriers to justice
to demonstrate how technology can improve access to, and user experience of, the justice system.

The AJIF was set up in 2018 as a four-year, $1 million project to support the development of innovative access to justice ideas.

Previous grant recipients include Justice Connect, the University of Sydney, the University of Newcastle and the Newcastle Women’s Domestic Violence Advocacy Service.

Applications for AJIF grants will close at 11.59pm on 28 October 2022.

More information is available here.