Paralegals are exceptionally important actors within the system, helping vulnerable and marginalized communities access their rights more easily. Their role is not only legal, but also social in nature, as concluded at the panel discussion on the provision of free legal aid organized by The A 11 Initiative.
The importance of civil society organizations fostering and developing relationships with paralegals was emphasized at the panel held on March 26 at Hotel Moxy in Belgrade. Our organization, which has many years of successful experience working with paralegal teams, brought together providers of free legal aid services to vulnerable communities and facilitated an exchange of practices aimed at improving these services. The discussion was moderated by our colleague Marko Vasiljević.
Dragiša Čalić from the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM) pointed out that there are challenges in implementing these services in accordance with the Law on Free Legal Aid, highlighting the Committee’s practice and working model. Marina Simeunović and Jelena Kasumović, lawyers and long-time paralegal associates of The A 11 Initiative, further contributed by sharing valuable field experience.
The speakers explained how important it is to enable vulnerable groups, particularly Roma communities in need of support, to understand and trust those offering assistance. As emphasized, this helps build long-term cooperation and allows communities to achieve better outcomes in exercising their rights, whether they need to access the social protection system, complete administrative procedures or to initiate processes related to housing, healthcare and other needs.
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) has decades of experience representing vulnerable Roma at the international level. However, as ERRC lawyer Andrea Čolak explained during the panel, their support and legal aid extend beyond the many cases they handle, though currently at a reduced capacity due to a lack of financial support. She stressed the importance of enabling ERRC to stabilize its position and continue providing assistance in the best interest of the most marginalized community in Serbia.
At this event, the A 11 Initiative had the honor of presenting its new publication, “Working Model and Experiences in Cooperation with Paralegals – A Guide for Paralegals”. Uroš Ranđelović, a lawyer with the A 11 Initiative, explained why paralegals, from the organization’s perspective, serve as a bridge between communities and the legal system, outlining their role and approach.
He emphasized that paralegals simultaneously strengthen the collective power of communities, educate their members and act as partners, while also fulfilling an important social role through the personal and tailored approach required to provide effective support.
More details about paralegal working models can be found in our guide intended for civil society organizations and legal teams, available for download HERE.
We would like to thank our partners, friends and experts from the sector whose presence contributed to the significance of this event.
This guide was developed within the project “Accessibility of Legal Aid in Marginalized Communities – Building and Strengthening the Network of Paralegals,” supported by the Embassy of the United Kingdom. The analyses and conclusions presented in this publication represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Embassy of the United Kingdom. The author bears full responsibility for the content of this publication.
