Law Foundation establishes LawCan fund to assist Canterbury

The New Zealand Law Founcation has established a special fund called LawCan to allow lawyers and law firms around the country to support Christchurch people with urgent and ongoing legal needs following the earthquake.

Law Foundation chair Warwick Deuchrass says the Foundation will collect, manage and act as a clearing house for donations.

“Lawyers have told us that they want to help in Canterbury’s recovery, and LawCan will enable them to do it,” he says.  “Donors can specify how their donations are to be used – legal services for individuals, support for the profession, or both.  Every dollar donated will be passed on. The Foundation’s contribution will be to cover LawCan’s administrative and management costs.”

LawCan funds will be allocated through Community Law Canterbury for legal assistance to people who can’t afford a lawyer, and to the Canterbury-Westland branch of the New Zealand Law Society’s Benevolent Fund to help re-establish lawyers and law firms hit hardest by the quake. Further information is available at www.lawcan.org.nz/. 

© New Zealand Law Society 2008