BBV Responsive Lawyer and Migration Agent Awards – Awards Criteria
The assessment criteria for Awardees are grouped into three guiding principles:
Blood-borne viruses and the law foundational practices
Blood-borne viruses and the practitioner-client relationship
Legal-health outcomes.
Principle 1: Blood-borne viruses and the law foundational practices
Intention of this principle: To ensure the professional’s practice is built on a solid foundation of BBV knowledge, cultural awareness and accessibility.
This includes the following criteria, assessed by the Award review panel:
Criterion A. BBV-informed and stigma-sensitive practice
The nominee demonstrates and applies up-to-date knowledge of HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, including transmission, prevention, treatment, and the social experience of living with a BBV, including stigma.
Criterion B. Respectful and safe practice
The nominee fosters a non-judgmental and open environment where clients living with BBVs and their partners, family members and others feel safe, respected and supported. Does the practitioner use inclusive and effective forms of communication? Do they prioritise client participation, and adopt deliberate measures to ensure clients understand the information and advice provided?
Criterion C. Peer recognition
The nominee is recognised by professional colleagues, community members, health professionals, educators or other relevant peers as a reliable and knowledgeable practitioner.
Criterion D. Culturally safe and accessible services
The nominee ensures services are safe and responsive to clients from diverse backgrounds, including migrants, refugees, members of culturally and linguistically diverse communities, sex workers, and LGBTIQ+ people.
Criterion E. Effective communication with culturally and linguistically diverse clients
The nominee uses interpreters, translated materials or other culturally appropriate communication methods where needed.
Criterion F. Access to justice
The nominee works to help minimise financial barriers to accessing legal assistance, including offering transparent and/or flexible payment options and referring clients to pro-bono or community legal services, where suitable.
Principle 2: Blood-borne viruses and the practitioner-client relationship
Intention of this principle: To ensure the professional fosters an environment of safety, trust and dignity, empowering clients to participate fully and with confidence in their legal process.
This includes the following criteria, assessed by the Award review panel:
Criterion A. Safety and trust
The nominee creates a safe space for the disclosure of sensitive personal information, while treating clients with respect and dignity to build and maintain trust.
Criterion B. Trauma-informed approach
The nominee applies a trauma-informed approach that recognises the potential impact of trauma and prioritises the client’s emotional safety and autonomy.
Criterion C. Accessibility of legal advice
The nominee ensures clients understand their rights, responsibilities and legal options.
Criterion D. Promotes client agency
The nominee promotes client agency and informed decision-making throughout the legal process.
Principle 3: Legal-health outcomes
Intention of this principle: To ensure nominees practice in a way that demonstrably improves outcomes for clients, resolving legal problems in ways that also contribute to their health, wellbeing and capacity to navigate systems, and share knowledge that benefits the broader community.
This includes the following criteria, assessed by the Award review panel:
Criterion A. Outcome-focused legal practice
The nominee resolves legal matters in ways that align with clients’ goals, benefit clients’ health and wellbeing, and improves clients’ understanding of their legal issues.
Criterion B. Collaboration
The nominee collaborates with other stakeholders (e.g. healthcare workers, other legal or migration professionals, etc.) to support effective legal problem solving, where appropriate to the legal matter and the client’s needs. The nominee shares knowledge and insights with peers and in relevant networks to strengthen BBV-responsive legal and migration practice more broadly.
Criterion C. Demonstrated client outcomes
The nominee’s approach to legal or migration practice has a tangible impact on addressing legal and migration needs alongside broader benefits, including client safety, health, financial security or housing.