Our organisation

We help people with legal problems involving family breakdown, child protection, family violence, criminal matters, social security, mental health, discrimination, guardianship and administration, fines, immigration, tenancy and debt.

Our clients are often people who are socially and economically disadvantaged, people with a disability or mental illness, children, the elderly, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those who live in remote areas.

For more information about our services areas how we help clients see what we do.

As an independent statutory authority, we are set up to meet the following statutory objectives:

• provide legal aid in the most effective, economic and efficient manner
• manage our resources to make legal aid available at a reasonable cost to the community and on an equitable basis throughout the state
• provide improved access to justice and legal remedies
• pursue innovative means of providing legal aid to minimise the need for individual legal services in the community.

We are funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian governments but operate independently of government. Our annual report details our finances, including our income and expenditure. Read also our midyear report for details on our first six months of operations for the financial year.

Our vision, purpose and values

Find out about our vision for a fair and just society, our purpose and the values that guide our decision-making. 

Strategic directions

Read about our strategic directions that guide us in working with our partners in the justice and community sector to improve the way Victorians access justice. 

Our board

Meet our Board of Directors, who are responsible for ensuring Victoria Legal Aid meets its statutory objectives and carries out its functions and duties in accordance with the Legal Aid Act 1978.

Senior executives

Meet the senior executive team, which consists of the managing director, six executive directors and the chief financial officer.

Public accountability

Our regular reports on our performance ensure people understand our priorities, decisions, performance and financial position.

Annual reports

Our annual reports highlight the key achievements and challenges of the organisation for each financial year.

Our history

While the idea of legal aid is more than 100 years old in Victoria, in 1981 the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria was established and became Victoria Legal Aid in 1995.

Organisations we work with

We work with state and national partners, lawyers in private practice, community legal centres, local communities and educational institutions.