SSPA conference a success

Jarrod Coburn

CEO/Kaiwhakahaere, Portia

 Portia Development Manager Rachel Black and Operations Manager Samantha Ngaia recently attended the Social Services Providers Aotearoa (SSPA) conference to present on recent developments in family law. Portia is proud to be a sponsor of the event and to have been given the chance to present. I personally believe social service providers play a crucial role in the lives of many of our clients and am proud to work for a law firm that has such strong relationships with the sector.

Sam and Rachel addressed the delegates on the new Family and Whanau Violence Bill (now the Family Violence Act and the Family Violence (Amendments) delegates

(Amendments) Act); Minister Little’s review of the 2014 Family Court reforms, and; the provision of family ​legal aid in Aotearoa. 

Portia’s approach is that it is vital for social services to have an up-to-date knowledge of the law so this was a good opportunity to use our expertise to benefit the sector. The relationships staff form with social service providers are mutually beneficial.

​The conference gave us a chance to keep on top of what’s going on with the social services. First contact with a lawyer is a chance to get advice on areas of life a person might have concerns about. We

We help people access community agencies, life-affirming services and sources of assistance that they didn’t know existed or ​otherwise were

unavailable.

Linking to this sector is just one way we add value for our customers. ​​

Rachel Black (left) and Samantha Ngaia at the 2018 Social Service Providers Aotearoa conference