Legal Services
SERVICES FOR WOMEN
If you are at risk of harm please dial 000.
Legal help at court
Intervention Orders
Free lawyers are available to assist with Family Violence Intervention Order (FVIO) cases at most Magistrates' courts across Victoria. We provide this service at Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
If you have a Family Violence Intervention Order (FVIO) case being heard at Melbourne Magistrates' Court, our lawyers can provide free advice, representation and referrals. Please go to Level 6 and ask to see the Women’s Legal lawyer.
There is also an Applicant Support Worker at court who can provide non-legal support.
Child protection cases
Free lawyers are available to assist with child protection applications at Children’s Courts. We provide this service at the Children’s Court in Moorabbin, five days per fortnight.
If you need assistance from a lawyer for a case being heard at the Children’s Court at Moorabbin Justice Centre, please go to the Victoria Legal Aid counter at the court.
Family law
Limited free legal advice is also available for family law court applications at the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court in Melbourne and Dandenong. You should first go to the FASS information referral officer.
You may be at court all day, so please arrange childcare if possible.
Free legal advice
If you need legal advice, please contact the Legal Help service at Victoria Legal Aid (VLA).
The service operates Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm.
Legal Help provides free telephone advice as well as online chat and online legal information.
How to contact VLA Legal Help
Get in touch by phone
Get in touch via Online Chat
Find legal answers
- Please note that the Women’s Legal phone advice line for the general public closed on February 26, 2021.
SERVICES FOR PRACTITIONERS
Client intake and secondary consultation service
If you are a legal or community sector worker, you can arrange to speak with our Intake Lawyer for a secondary consultation about your client.
What legal areas do we practice in?
Women’s Legal provides legal advice and assistance in the areas of family law, family violence, child protection and victims of crime assistance.
How to contact our Intake Lawyer
Please call Women’s Legal reception to arrange a consultation with our Intake Lawyer.
Tel: 8622 0600
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Legal representation for your clients
We represent women experiencing significant disadvantage in family law, family violence and child protection cases. We assess eligibility on a case-by-case basis – see our Casework Guidelines here.
We only accept referrals through partner organisations, community workers and other practitioners working with women experiencing family violence.
Education & Training
Our education team delivers practical and accessible legal training programs specifically designed for support practitioners.
From learning how to identify when your clients need legal help to understanding the laws around child protection, our courses will equip you to better support your clients.
We can also tailor a training session for your organisation – please contact us to find out more.
What's News
Job Opportunity - Lawyer, Family Law and/or Child Protection
4 March 2021
Work collaboratively to address systemic issues in law and policy, including thorugh strategic casework.
Job Opportunity - Financial Counsellor
4 March 2021
Use your financial counselling skills to make a diference and join a specialised and supportive team.
Family Court merger will impact families
21 February 2021
The passage of the Family Court merger bill is a disappointing outcome for the safety of women and children. See the response from a coalition of 155 legal and community advocates here.