What we do

Victoria Legal Aid helps people with their legal problems.

We provide free legal information and education to all Victorians, with a focus on prevention and early resolution of legal problems. We prioritise more intensive legal services such as legal advice and representation for people who meet eligibility criteria, based on their financial situation, the nature and seriousness of their problem and their individual circumstances. We also conduct strategic litigation to change policies and processes and remedy legal problems for individuals and the broader community.

We serve the Victorian community in the following areas.

Access and equity

We help people to deal with legal issues by ensuring that our services are accessible and appropriate to need. This includes helping individual clients with information and advice over the phone, delivering community legal education programs, and contributing to justice and law reform to benefit the wider community.

Civil justice

Our work in civil and administrative law aims to contribute to a fairer, more inclusive and rights-respecting community. We deal with matters such as social security, mental health, guardianship and administration, infringements, immigration, tenancy, debt, discrimination, sexual harassment and victims of crime.

Criminal law

We provide high-quality legal advice and representation for people charged with criminal offences who cannot otherwise afford legal assistance and who meet our eligibility criteria, focusing on people who are disadvantaged or at risk of social exclusion.

Chambers

We provide high-quality advocacy for legally aided clients in civil, criminal and family, youth and children’s law matters. We also conduct strategic litigation to remedy a legal problem or change a policy or process to benefit an individual client and the broader community.

Family law

We help people to resolve their family disputes and respond to state intervention to achieve safe, workable and child-focused care arrangements for children. We help to build people’s capacity to resolve future disputes without legal assistance. We also assist with family violence intervention order matters.

Mental health advocacy

We help people on compulsory treatment orders with information, support and advocacy to assist them have a say in their assessment, treatment, and recovery.  

Managing the quality of our legal services

We are committed to delivering high-quality, client-focused services throughout Victoria. To maintain this high standard, we provide a quality framework to assist lawyers doing legal aid work, including private practitioners, community legal centre lawyers, and our own staff.

Research and analysis

We undertake research and analysis to support the effective delivery of legal aid services.