Getting Free Legal Services in Australia

Each community legal centre has different eligibility guidelines for who they can help, what legal issues they can help with and how much help they can provide. The Federation of Community Legal Centres is the peak body for Victoria’s Community Legal Centres and Aboriginal Legal Services. To find your nearest centre visit the Federation of Community Legal Centres website. South West Community Legal Centre (SWCLC) is a community legal centre.
This organisation helps individuals to access free legal support and assistance to progress social justice. The Supreme Court is working with Justice Connect to deliver unbundled legal support for people seeking to bring a proceeding in the Court, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. If you have a legal problem and cannot afford a lawyer, we may be able to pay for a lawyer to help you. Depending on your situation, your local or closest community legal centre might be able to help, or there might be a specialist centre which solicitors canterbury can help you.

Legal Aid duty lawyers are available at local courts and many other courts and tribunals. Legal Aid WA is a WA government legal service, whereas community legal services are independent  community organisations that provide free or low cost legal help, advice and representation to people in need. The funding is intended to support a collaborative and place-based response that will target the projected increase in legal need in areas of civil law, family law and criminal law. LawRight connects people with lawyers for free legal help in civil matters.
You can contact them before you come to VCAT or once your case has started. If you are applying for Legal Aid on behalf of someone else, you may be required to complete an Authority Disclosure Form (PDF, 127 KB). For example, if you are a social worker, solicitor, power of attorney, parent, or guardian. The Application for Legal Aid Form (PDF, 1.9 MB) is also available to download and complete. If you win the case, the solicitor's fees and expenses you agreed to will be taken from your compensation.
Canberra Community Law is a community legal centre providing legal services to people on low incomes or facing other disadvantage in Canberra and its region. Marrickville Legal Centre is a not-for-profit community legal centre based in Sydney’s inner-west, serving NSW. Our vision is to promote social justice – by providing free and accessible legal and related services to people who experience social and economic disadvantage. Generalist community legal centres assist people within their local area with a range of legal issues.

We are unable to prioritise and expedite the assessment of applications, including applications with urgent Court dates. We require a minimum of ten (10) working days to assess applications. The assessment time will depend on the volume of applications received and  the complexity of your matter. While we encourage all applicants to complete an application online we accept paper applications from applicants that cannot use this option. We give free one-on-one legal help to people who don’t have much money – for example, if you’re on a benefit or have a low income. See the Federation of Community Legal Services website for more information.
We help you with court, Centrelink, police, Child Protection, victims of crime tribunal, creditors and our immigration system. There are numerous Community Legal Centres (CLCs) across the state which you can consult about different legal matters. There is also a wide range of websites for free legal information to help you navigate the court system. Other Australian law schools offering clinic-based experience include Griffith University, Deakin University, Bond University, and more. The Scheme relies on the goodwill and generosity of firms of solicitors who are prepared to give their time and skill to help eligible applicants.
Homelessness Law is Queensland’s free specialist legal service for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. We also have information about our legal services and how to use them in many languages. We also offer referrals and free legal advice for those who are eligible. They will be supported by specialist advisory groups focusing on workforce, legal needs data and regional and remote service delivery. The Government funds organisations throughout the state to provide free or low-cost legal help to Western Australians who cannot afford a private lawyer.

When you send us a message to start a chat, we will ask for details about you and your legal question. Our qualified staff run Legal Help Chat between 8 am and 6 pm, Monday to Friday. The allowable time limit for Kimberley Floods DRFA funding under Category D- Community and Social Recovery has been extended until 30 June 2026. The NAJP was informed by the Independent Review of the NLAP, undertaken by Dr Warren Mundy. Go to our Disaster Legal Help page to learn more about disaster assistance, legal help in your area, and how to appeal a decision from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). View our Duty Lawyer Service locations in a large map or see our list of regional locations.