Legal issues
If you are experiencing a legal issue, you may wish to seek legal advice from free legal and support services nearby. Unfortauntely our Advocates are not legally-trained, so we can;t offer any legal advice or support. We can help you identify external services who may be able to help, however.
We've compiled links to valuable resources where you can access free legal support, as well as non-legal community support services.
If you have a recommendation of a resource that should be listed on this page, please contact us via studentadvocacy@federation.edu.au
Community Legal Services
| Gippsland: Gippsland Community Legal Service |
| Ballarat: Ballarat and Grampians Community Legal Service |
| Peninsula: Peninsula Community Legal Centre |
| Springvale: Springvale Monash Legal Service |
| Brisbane: Community Legal Centres Queensland |
| Geelong: Barwon Community Legal Service |
| Sydney: Inner City Legal Centre |
| Adelaide: JusticeNetSA |
Please use the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC)’s website to find other convenient locations.
Other legal services offering free legal support include:
- Support with legal problems including areas of criminal law, family law and some civil law matters
- Pro bono legal services to people experiencing disadvantage and the community organisations that support them
- Legal information and help for those under age 25
- Free information and support to manage the impacts of crime
International Student Legal Services
- Melbourne: Study Melbourne Student Centre
- Sydney: Redfern Legal Centre - International Student Legal Service NSW
Housing and Tenancy Rights
Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal - Residential tenancy disputes
Residential Tenancies Bond Authority
Other support services
Registered Accommodation Association of Victoria
Family and Housing support and additional legal services
Consumer Affairs
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
- Victoria’s consumer regulator, helping create a competitive and fair marketplace for businesses and consumers. This covers shopping, contracts, motor vehicles, accommodation and more
Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (DSCV)
- DSCV is a free dispute resolution service funded by the Victorian Government. They provide services such as advice, information, mediation and other negotiation strategies for disputes.
They can help with issues including: a disagreement with a neighbour over trees or fences; disputes between members of a club; workplace disagreements; or noise from animals, machinery or cars.
Employment and Social Security
Centrelink
Fair Work Ombudsman
Job Watch
Social Security Rights Victoria
Money Help
Family Law and Domestic Violence Services
State-based Women's Legal Services providing Women with free and confidential legal information, referral and representation include:
- Women's Legal Service Victoria
- Women's Legal Service Queensland
- Women's Legal Service South Australia
- Women's Legal Service New South Wales
Other support services
Demographic-based Legal and Community support services
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
LGBTIQA+ Legal Services
Refugee and Migrant Support Services
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services