Street Law in the 21st Century: Assessing the Impact of the ‘Know the Law’ Pilot Project

Street Law has long been identified as a means by which the community is empowered with relevant and topical information regarding their legal rights, remedies and responsibilities. However, in more recent times, traditional forms of delivery such as in-person legal education seminars may not adequately meet the desires and needs of people who are hoping to access legal information faster and more conveniently than ever before. This article examines a pilot project designed by the University of Newcastle Legal Centre to ensure outreach keeps pace with modern expectations of legal service delivery through the development of the ‘Know the Law’ mobile cache device (‘the site’). Released in early 2016, the site is designed to provide international students with a single platform through which they can access information regarding legal issues considered most relevant to them, such as tenancy, driving and employment. Website analytics have been obtained regarding the number of ‘hits’ on the site, together with a survey of international students who have been exposed to the legal information therein. This article includes key findings in relation to the development, distribution and effectiveness of this pilot project.