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 resources to make legal aid available at a reasonable cost to the community and on an equitable basis throughout the state
- provide to the community improved access to justice and legal remedies
- pursue innovative means of providing legal aid directed at minimising the need for individual legal services in the community
- ensure the coordination of the provision of legal aid so that it responds to the legal and related needs of the community
- ensure the coordination of the provision of legal assistance information so that information responds to the legal and related needs of the community, including by being, accessible, current, high-quality and of sufficient breadth.
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 our quarterly reports for details from each quarter of the financial year.
Acknowledgement of Country
Our organisation operates from many different sites throughout Victoria. Across these locations, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country, recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community, and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
How we are improving our services
Find out about how we are improving our services, including the reviews and public consultations we have undertaken.
Organisations we work with
Find out more about the organisations we work with, including state and national partners, lawyers in private practice, community legal centres, local communities and educational institutions.
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.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion
Read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion, including our strategies and framework to achieve this.
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.
For over 60,000 years
First Nations peoples are the Traditional Custodians of lands across Victoria and knowledge keepers of some of the oldest forms of lore and jurisprudence, far pre-dating legal systems introduced with colonisation.
1800s
Legal costs are waived for paupers, a tradition carried over from Britain with colonisation.
1903
New law allows people charged with Commonwealth indictable offences to apply for defence appointed by the court.
1928
Those with less than £50 in property can get legal aid through Victoria’s new Public Solicitor’s Office.
1964
With demand for legal assistance growing, the Legal Aid Committee is set up and run by Victoria’s legal profession.
1973
Victoria’s first community legal centres open in Fitzroy, St Kilda and Springvale, as well as the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.
1974
More people can access legal aid through a new federal body, the Australian Legal Aid Office.
1981
We open as the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria. We have 11 offices by the end of the decade.
1992
The High Court upholds the right to a fair trial for people accused of serious crimes. Victoria responds with laws allowing courts to order legal aid.
1995
We become known as Victoria Legal Aid.
1996
65 victims of the Port Arthur mass shooting make compensation claims with our help
2003
Around 1,600 East Timorese refugees obtain protection visas, helped jointly by us and the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre.
2009
Following the Black Saturday bushfires, we unite with partners to form Bushfire Legal Help to help those affected.
2012
Indonesian boat crew members represented by us are acquitted in Victoria’s first people smuggling trial, helping bring an end to harsh mandatory sentencing laws.
2015
We launch our first non-legal advocacy service, supporting people receiving compulsory mental health treatment to know and stand up for their rights.
2015
We take insurance giant QBE to court over its discrimination against people with mental health issues, leading to changes across the travel insurance industry.
2015
We establish our Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer program, aiming to improve access to justice for First Nations communities across Victoria.
2017
We launch a program providing legal assistance and social support for people involved in family law proceedings who have been affected or have used family violence.
2018
With reforms to bail laws, we launch our duty lawyer service at the Bail and Remand Court, operating day and evening, each day of the year.
2019
The Commonwealth Government concedes its robo-debt scheme is unlawful after we initiate proceedings in the Federal Court on behalf of two clients.
2020s
With the pandemic creating court backlogs, we adapt to continue our critical services for clients during lockdowns and provide more people pre-court advice and digital services.
Our vision, purpose and values
Find out about our vision, purpose and values that guide our decision-making.
Public accountability
Our regular reports on our performance ensure people understand our priorities, decisions, performance and financial position. Find out more about our public accountability.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan
Our Reconciliation Action Plan sets out the steps we will take to improve our service response to First Nations people in Victoria.
Our senior leadership team
Meet our senior leadership team, which consists of the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, chief counsel, executive directors and directors.
Our organisational chart
Updated