An amazing 200 past and present Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal) volunteers and staff, supporters and partners came together to celebrate more than 4 decades of collective action for gender equality, championing women’s rights to live free from violence. 

Women’s Legal was founded in 1982, as the Women’s Legal Resource Group, by a collective of female lawyers and law students who saw the vital need for legal support for women by women. 

Since then, the organisation has provided legal support and advice for hundreds of thousands of women, and driven law reform in both Victoria and nationally, improving the lives of women and their children 

“Our 40+ celebration was an opportunity for us to come together and reflect on all that we have achieved in four decades, while also acknowledging how much more work there is still to do,” Women’s Legal CEO Claudia Fatone said. 

“While the number of services we provide has expanded since we first began as a volunteer run telephone advice line and resource group four decades ago, our purpose remains the same. Promoting access to justice by providing legal and related services for women disadvantaged by social and economic circumstances.” 

During the evening Magistrate Therese McCarthy formally launched the Jacinta Dwyer Research Internship, a new paid research opportunity in honour of Jacinta Dwyer, a compassionate lawyer, Magistrate and much-admired former staff member of Women’s Legal. The internship will be managed by Women’s Legal and is supported by the Victorian Magistrates’ Association. Applications will be open in late April. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Roj Amedi, Director Policy, Advocacy and Communications media@womenslegal.org.