In 2018, the Public Legal Services Bill was passed by Parliament which, when assented, will formalise the Office’s separation from the judiciary by giving OPL legal status as an independent government body reporting to the Minister for Justice.
Our Office offers a broad range of legal services to the Kiribati public. In addition to providing free legal advice and representation to the disadvantaged people of Kiribati, we also have an important role in law reform and providing community legal education to the public to strengthen the understanding of and respect for the law and the legal system.
The demand for free legal services in Kiribati continues to grow with OPL providing legal assistance to thousands of people each year. Our Office has a continued commitment to meet this demand. Our staff are skilled, professional and focused on providing quality legal advice and access to justice to the people of Kiribati.