Wangaratta lawyer Danny Frigerio said it slowed court work and hit the viability of some practices.

“(The cuts) also affect the ability of people to obtain representation when they just turn up to court and seek a duty lawyer,” he said.

Mr Frigerio last week was elected to a second straight term as head of the North East Law Association of the Law Institute of Victoria.

The principal of Maurice Blackburn Lawyers’ Wangaratta office said it was a privilege to serve as president and the association would continue its important work of supporting the legal sector.

“The association provides representation, training and support for lawyers, paralegals, trainee lawyers and law students in the North East who have different needs from those in other parts of Victoria,” he said.

Mr Frigerio said his immediate focus was the November 29 state election.

Every election year, the law institute did a “call to the parties”, asking them to make clear what they would change or enact once they came to power or remained in power.

“It’s a case of put your policy position on all these points and that’s then published through the Law Institute Journal,” he said.”

Mr Frigerio said he found the president’s role of representing his members and networking “very rewarding”.

“It can be things like training or mentoring programs, succession training, media training and advocacy in terms of legislative changes that affect members,” he said.

The association covers Wangaratta, Wodonga, Yarrawonga, Rutherglen, Beechworth, Myrtleford, Bright and Benalla.

It yesterday announced Wangaratta’s Tim Jackson would join it as a young-lawyer advocate.

Mr Jackson, 25, returned to Wangaratta in July after studying and working in Melbourne.

Mr Jackson specialises is motor vehicle accident and WorkCover compensation claims.