Getting Free Legal Services in Australia
Legal Aid WA offers free or low-cost legal services to the community. We can help if you have questions about the law, if you are going to court, or if you need advice on a legal problem. There are a range of legal advice, information and court support services directed at Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people.
A 20 minute appointment costs $35 (or $25 for pension and concession card holders). Member firms benefit from Justice Connect’s innovative uncontested divorce solicitor canterbury approach to improving access to justice. Different members can access to Justice Connect’s Pro Bono Portal, generalist legal clinics and specialist referral services. You can read about membership options on the membership page of its website. Support for women attending court is provided by the Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service. The Children's Court Assistance Scheme provides legal assistance to children.
The Service is available for those who cannot receive Legal Aid and who meet a means and merits test. They will help applicants in cases which raise a matter of broad public concern, or matters that have a reasonable prospect of success. Different organisations provide different levels of legal help, each with its own eligibility criteria. SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia. Your lawyer or caseworker will help map out with you the best way forward. Depending on your situation, we may be able to help you with more intensive, ongoing advocacy.
The Bar Association offers legal assistance to people in need of help. Our schemes reflect the strongly held view of the bar that a person's rights and access to justice should not be diminished because they have little or no money. We do this by answering your legal questions online, offering clinic appointments to people representing themselves in court, and making pro bono referrals. Youth Law Australia provide free and confidential legal advice, assistance and referrals to young people and their advocates. Anyone under 25 (and their advocate) can request and receive free and confidential legal advice through their innovative online service that is available 24/7. You can call an information officer or use webchat to help with legal information and referrals to legal advice.
A grant is money used to pay a Legal Aid or private lawyer to help you with your legal problem. Complete the referral form on their website and receive a letter referring you for a free 30 minute consultation with a lawyer. You can use this consultation to determine the nature of your legal issue, discuss available options and request an estimate of costs to proceed with the matter. There are almost 200 Community Legal Centres (CLCs) across Australia that provide legal assistance to those who cannot afford a private lawyer, but who also cannot obtain assistance from Legal Aid. Legal Aid Commissions can provide a grant of Legal Aid to an individual if their legal matter falls within the Commission’s guidelines and they live in the same state or territory. A grant of Legal Aid may be available for family law, criminal law and some civil law cases.
In 2024–25, we administered $66,819,454 to these centres on behalf of the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, as well as Victoria Legal Aid’s own funding. This funding includes baseline funding and specific purpose funding attached to specific service delivery. They also visit the following locations across Victoria to provide free legal advice. Find Legal Answers is a free online legal information resource for people living in NSW.
With lots of information provided on their website about the most common types of disputes you can get an understanding of your situation and the law. Free legal advice by phone, workshops and webinars provides a solid education experience as well. Legal fees and general costs can be extremely costly and out of reach for many low income earners – Luckily in Australia there are free community based legal aid services.
(For the difference between civil and criminal issues, see The Differences between Criminal Court and Civil Court). CLCs can either be generalist or specialist legal service providers. Before you go to court, contact us to find out if you can see a duty lawyer or how we can help you with your legal problem. We may be able to match you with free legal assistance to help with disputes, or to assist you to better understand your legal rights and obligations.
We thrive to build a first class working relationship with our clients by developing a deep understanding of our clients’ needs. Our lawyers are committed to helping our clients to protect their interests. Staff at the courts or tribunals can give you certain information, such as what forms to fill in, but they cannot give you legal advice. The form has questions about your legal problem and your financial situation to help us work out if you can get a grant of legal assistance. We recommend contacting us directly to discuss your legal matter and whether you are eligible for a grant of aid, or a panel practitioner that does legal aid work. This is the quickest and easiest way to seek a grant of assistance.