Legal Services

Services

The Fitzroy Legal Service offers legal advice and legal representation through the following services:

• Night service
• Day practice
• Richmond Outreach
• Drug Outreach
• Family Law Clinic
• Financial Counselling

Most of these services are free. 

Information in Different Languages

• Arabic
• Chinese
• Greek
• Somali
• Turkish
• Vietnamese
  

Clients

Since opening in 1972, the Fitzroy Legal Service has seen over 50,000 different people.

Our free legal advice service at night continues to be popular. Our catchment area includes Abbotsford, Brunswick, Carlton, Clifton Hill, Collingwood, East Melbourne, Fitzroy, North Fitzroy and Richmond. On average we see about 80 new clients a week.

Some characteristics of our clients include:

• approximately 40% from non-English speaking backgrounds.
• a substantial proportion are unemployed or receiving pensions or benefits
• a large proportion live in rented premises or are boarders
• more men than women use the service
• a large proportion are between the ages of 18-34.

People who live outside our catchment area are encouraged to see a legal service closer to their local area. There are now over 50 Community Legal Centres in Victoria, including Centres dealing in specialist areas of the law.

We make referrals where possible.

Common legal issues

Common legal issues include:

• criminal matters
• family law
• motor vehicle accidents
• consumer problems
• debts
• housing
• employment
• wills
• social security payments, and
• complaints against police, solicitors, governments, etc

Client charter

All our clients are entitled to privacy, fair treatment and a safe and stress-free environment. Please see our Client Charter for more information.

Contacts

If you would like to know more about our legal services or find some other helpful contacts, visit Federation of Community Legal Centre site.