Who is eligible for help?

Some of our services are available to everyone, while our more intensive services are offered to people who need it the most.

The best way to find out if you are eligible for our services is to contact us.

Free legal information available to everyone

Anyone can get free information by:

• going to the Find legal answers section on this website – each topic has information about the law and who you can contact for more help
• ordering our free publications and resources
• visiting our public law library to access legislation, case law and other legal materials.

You can also get legal help over the phone. If we can’t help you, we may be able to refer you to other services who can.

Legal services for people who need it most

Depending on your circumstances, we may be able to:

• give you free legal advice – in person, by video conference or over the phone
• help you if you are at court without a lawyer.

To get a lawyer to run your case you must be eligible for a grant of legal assistance. To decide whether you are eligible we look at:

• what your case is about
• the likely benefit to you
• if helping you can benefit the public
• your financial situation.

If you are going through a separation or divorce that involves family dispute, you may be able to use the Victoria Legal Aid Family Dispute Resolution Service instead of going to court. You will only be able to take part if you or the other parent in the dispute is eligible to get a lawyer to run your case.

Legal problems we don’t give advice about

There are some things we don’t give legal advice about, however we may still provide links and information on our website. They include:

• association queries (incorporated and unincorporated)
• bankruptcy
• building, buying and selling houses and land
• bullying – general workplace bullying complaints where there is no employment discrimination element
• business and commercial matters
• consumer disputes
• defamation
• employment law – except those connected with discrimination, sexual harassment, victimisation or vilification
• financial planning
• freedom of information
• horse agistment
• insurance
• intellectual property
• landlord issues
• migration matters that relate to business, skilled, student, tourist visas
• owner’s corporation (body corporate) queries
• pay disputes
• personal injury matters that may include medical negligence, TAC, public liability, occupier’s liability
• privacy
• product liability
• rental property disputes and conveyancing
• superannuation claims and appeals
• taxation matters (not criminal offences)
• town planning, development and environment disputes
• Wills and deceased estates
• work injuries.