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The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Human Rights Law Program offers free holistic legal support at all stages of the refugee determination process to refugees and people seeking asylum.

For legal assistance with TPV or SHEV Protection Visa Interviews (2015 – 2017) or expiring Bridging Visa E (medevac refugees only), contact the legal team on the Fast Track Hotline: 0422035324 (Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm) or email legal@asrc.org.au.

The Consumer Action Law Centre provides legal advice for professionals who are working with victim survivors in relation consumer and finance issues.

Workers can call the Advice Line on (03) 9602 3326 between 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm (Mon-Fri).

Clients can speak to a lawyer on Ph: 1800 466 477 between 10am–1pm (Tues-Thur).

The service can also link into financial counsellors as part of the National Debt Helpline.

Djirra is an Aboriginal community controlled organisation. They provide a range of legal services, including advice and advocacy in relation to:

• Intervention Orders
• Family Law
• Child Protection
• Victims of Crime assistance.

Contact the Legal Services team: info.afvls@djirra.org.au

Djirra also provides case management, counselling, AOD support, Koori Women’s Place and Cultural and wellbeing workshops.

The Fitzroy Legal Service (FLS) has a day-time legal practice which provides legal advice and legal representation (such as going to court).

Services include:

• An appointment based legal advice service from 6.00-9.00pm, Mon-Fri. An enquiry form needs to be completed to access an appointment. If people have problems completing the enquiry form, they can call on (03) 9419 3744.
• Legal assistance in relation to family violence via outreach to a number of different locations in City of Yarra.
• Co-located lawyers at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC)
• Assistance to victims/survivors of family violence with small scale property pools who would otherwise not have access to legal assistance or would forfeit the majority of their settlement on legal fees.

Fitzroy Legal Service – Reservoir office provides free legal advice by appointment to people who live, work or study in the Darebin region Mon-Fri 6.00-9.00pm.

An enquiry form needs to be completed to access an appointment. If people have problems completing the enquiry form, they can call on (03) 9419 3744.

The service provides initial advice (but not court representation) in most areas of law. In some cases they refer clients to private solicitors, relevant specialist Community Legal Centres or other relevant agencies (e.g. Victoria Legal Aid).

Fitzroy Legal Service co-ordinates the Intervention Order Support Service, a free service for applicants seeking Intervention Orders at the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court.

Fortnightly outreach at Queerspace (drummond street) for LGBTIQA+ clients with legal issues arising from family violence.

The services at the Neighbourhood Justic Centre (NJC) help individuals in the City of Yarra to solve justice problems at an early stage and include:

• family violence support, including specialist applicant workers to work with women filing for IVOs
• victims’ support
• mediation
• specialised mental health, drug and alcohol assessment and support
• counselling
• housing support
• financial counselling
• employment and training support
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support services
• LGBTI support at court
• legal advice.

At the centre’s Court, the Magistrate hears a variety of civil and criminal cases—all resolved in the one courtroom.

The NJC works in partnership with local organisations and community members to tackle local justice, crime and safety issues, and come up with lasting, local solutions. It also supports programs that tackle disadvantage, to provide real and practical benefit to the community. A unique facet of the NJC’s community justice model is how it brings together a range of locally based service providers who are integral to the operation of the NJC and the NJC Court.

Refugee Legal provides substantial legal advice and casework service for asylum seekers, refugees and disadvantaged migrants in the community and in immigration detention.

The legal services include:

• Telephone Advice Line
• Evening Advice Service
• Day time casework, including full legal representation
• Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) Clinics
• Strategic ‘test case’ litigation
• Client and community information sessions

All of Refugee Legal advice and casework and strategic litigation services are free.

Tel Advice: (03) 9413 0100 – Wednesday & Friday: 10am to 2pm

Afghanistan Legal Hotline – Legal assistance for people impacted by the crisis in Afghanistan: (03) 9413 0166.

Legal Assistance for ‘Fast Track’ Applicants: (03) 9413 0101 or email clinic@refugeelegal.org.au.

Provide seniors with free legal help including those who may be experiencing elder abuse.

Due to high demand for free legal assistance, Seniors Law prioritise matters that are considered to be in the public interest and where a person is especially vulnerable.

Requests for assistance need to come via a professional (such as another lawyer, or a social worker).

Practitioners can call to find out more on the professional hotline on 1300 044 332.

Social Security Rights Victoria (SSRV) is a community legal centre that provides free legal services in relation to Social Security and Centrelink matters to people across Victoria.

The SSRV Worker Help Line offers free and accessible services to social, community and health workers (such as financial counsellors, disability advocates, social workers, doctors and community lawyers) to help support practitioners support clients.

Mondays – Thursdays, 9.00am – 5.00pm
Ph: 03 9481 0655

Victorian Legal Aid (VLA) provide free legal information and education, with a focus on prevention and early resolution of legal problems. They 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.

Areas of legal information include Family Violence Intervention Orders, Family Law, Parenting Arrangements and Child Contact.

The Independent Family Advocacy and Support service at VLA provides non-legal advocacy and support to parents and/or primary carers in the early stages of child protection involvement (pre-Children’s Court Orders) with their family. The service focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island families and parents with an intellectual disability. Ph: 1800 849 200. Hours are limited, please look at webpage.

VALS provides free legal advice and representation for the Koorie community in relation to the following family law matters:

• Family matters (not property matters)
• Child protection matters in the Children’s Court
• Family Violence Intervention Orders—applicant or respondent
• General legal information about divorce proceedings.

The areas of law in which Banyule community legal service can assist includes Intervention Orders, Family Violence, Family Law and Victims of Crime compensation, tenancy, fines and debts.

Call on 9450 2002 to enquire about an appointment or to confirm eligibility for outreach or drop in services.

The legal service provides free legal advice on most areas of law as well as:

• Legal information and referrals
• Legal advice and casework
• Community legal information.

Women’s Legal provides legal advice and assistance in the areas of family law, family violence, child protection and victims of crime assistance.

They provide this through:

• Free advice and representation at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
• Legal representation to women facing significant barriers to accessing justice where assistance will have the greatest impact. See Guidelines for further information.

A Worker Advice Line provides preliminary family violence and family law assistance to family violence workers, financial counsellors, and other support workers working with women who have experienced family violence: Mon, Wed & Fri.

Youthlaw is Victoria’s specialist legal centre for young people under 25 years. Youthlaw’s Family Violence Program comprises a small integrated team of lawyers and social work trained family violence youth practitioners and can assist young people with issues arising from family violence, in particular intervention orders and associated criminal matters.

Other lawyers at Youthlaw can also assist if a young person who practitioners are working with has other legal issues, unrelated to family violence, such as tenancy issues, criminal matters, debts, fines and victims of crime compensation.

Who is eligible for the service?  Any young person under the age of 25 who is currently experiencing or has experienced family violence, or has court proceedings on foot stemming from a family violence issue will be able to access the service. The program assists young people under 25 experiencing family violence, and young people under 18 using and experiencing family violence in the home.

How to refer a young person:  

Family violence related legal matters – Practitioners can email through the young person’s contact details and related information to FVprogram@youthlaw.asn.au. The young person can contact Youthlaw directly.

Other legal matters – Email legal@youthlaw.asn.au or practitioners or the young person can call Youthlaw on 9113 9500.