Home » Legal Services » Resources

NACLC - http://www.naclc.org.au/
The National Association of Community Legal Centres is the association of state community legal centre organisations in Australia. Member organisations represent around 200 Community Legal Centre nationally. The website is for the use of Community Legal Centre workers and volunteers and other people who are interested in the NACLC. On the website information is provided about the association, online reports, papers and past national conference resolutions; plus a wide range of other sources. 

Federation of CLC  - http://www.communitylaw.org.au/
The Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria is the peak body for over 50 CLC across Victoria. The Federation leads and supports the Community Legal Centres to help social equity and challenge injustice. The Federation provides a number of resources to help the community seek legal assistance. The aim is to provide information, referrals for legal assistance, provides services and support to the Community Legal Centres and builds a stronger and more effective community legal sector within society. Our focus is helping clients who face economic and social disadvantage where there is no other avenue for help. 
Publications will be added to the resources list

Private Lawyers - http://www.liv.asn.au/LegalPractice.aspx
The Law of Institute of Victoria provides a listing of private lawyers that are located in the Geelong region. BCLS is unable to provide advice on all areas of the law so will refer clients to other services that can provide advice in specific legal matters. 

Public interest Law Clearing house (PILCH) - http://www.pilch.org.au/Default.aspx?ID=1
PILCH is committed to furthering the public interest, improving access to justice and protecting human rights. PILCH facilitates the provision of pro bono legal services and undertaking law reform, policy work and legal education. By doing so, PILCH specifically seeks to address advantage and marginalisation in the community, to effect structural change to address injustice, to foster a strong pro bono culture in Victoria and to increase the pro bono capacity of the legal profession.

Geelong Law Association - http://www.liv.asn.au/Home.aspx
Geelong Law Association is part of the LIV and allows access for the Geelong region to keep informed and have the opportunity to communicate with other members of the legal profession in the Geelong region.

Magistrates’ Court of Victoria - http://www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au/
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria has been providing justice for the people of Victoria in local and regional Courts across the State. The court’s objective is to provide efficient, modern and responsive court of summary jurisdiction designed to meet the needs of the community. The Court operates in 52 different locations around Victoria and handles approximately 90% of all cases which come before Victorian courts each year.  

Family Law Courts - http://www.familylawcourts.gov.au/
The Family Law Courts comprise of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia. The Courts are independent, but cooperate to provide a streamlined access to the federal family law system. It provides a simplified path through the family law system, access to services for the resolution of family disputes, a single point of filing and easy transfer of cases for the courts and a national enquiry centre and website that provides information.  

Child Support Agency - http://www.csa.gov.au/  
The Child Support Agency (CSA) is part of the Australian Government Department of Human Services. CSA’s role is to support separated parents to transfer payments for the benefit of their children. CSA aim is to work with all areas of the government, community and private industry service providers to provide the best possible support to all our customers.

Justice of the Peace - http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/Justices+of+the+Peace
Justice of the Peace (JP) volunteers are appointed by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Attorney-General. The role of JP volunteers in Victoria is largely administrative, with their primary role focused on attesting to the execution of a document, witnessing a statutory declaration, witnessing an affidavit, certifying a true copy of an original document and certifying a person’s identity. To be able to locate a JP in Victoria, you can search on their website or call their enquiry line.

Australasian Legal Information Institute - http://www.austlii.edu.au/
The Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) provides free internet access to Australasian legal materials. AustLII’s broad public policy agenda is to improve access to justice through better access to information. AustLII publishes public legal information that is primary legal materials (legislation, treaties and decisions of courts and tribunals) and secondary legal materials that are made by public bodies for purposes of public access (law reform and royal commission reports) and a collection of law journals.

Law Institute of Victoria - http://www.liv.asn.au
The LIV is the professional membership association for Victorian lawyers. It provides access to valuable information and support throughout their career and a unique opportunity to connect with other members of the legal profession.

Victoria Legal Aid - http://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/
Victoria Legal Aid helps people who are seeking legal advice for legal issues. Their focus is on helping and protecting the rights of socially and economically disadvantaged Victorians. They have a wide range of law areas in which they are able to assist people and resources which are available for free in the publications section of its website. 

Victorian Law - http://www.victorialaw.org.au/
Victoria Law is a new not-for-profit website that helps you find easy to understand information about the law and legal services in Victoria. All information on the website has been supplied by Victorian agencies and government bodies with expertise in legal services and education. Victoria law also offers their website in six different languages, so that the community can fully take advantage of the website and what it has to offer. 

The Law Handbook - http://www.lawhandbook.org.au/
The Law Handbook is one of the best starting points for law in Victoria due to its most comprehensive and plain English guide in relation to law in Victoria with information on a wide range of legal areas. It provides an easy search function, contact details for relevant legal and non-legal services, legislation and case indexes that are cross-referenced and linked to the content.

Rural Law Online- http://www.rurallaw.org.au/
Rural Law Online is a dedicated website for rural Victorians. It offers information on areas of law which affect people living in regional and rural communities. It provides easy-to-understand legal information on issues that matter to Victorian primary producers. The Foundation works to improve community understanding and access to a better justice system.

Bushfire Legal Help - http://www.bushfirelegalhelp.org.au/
The bushfire Legal Help website was established in 2009, in response to the bushfires as part of a larger joint imitative to assist victims and survivors of the bushfires. Bushfire Legal Help is a group of legal service organisations who provide free information and support for Victorians affected by bushfires.

DHS - http://www.dhs.gov.au/
The Department of human Services was created to achieve improved governance, clearer, accountability and better performance in government service delivery. The DHS delivers services to Australians to reform and enhance services in the future, develop strategies to social security and deliver efficient and effective services to those who need help.

Social Security Rights Victoria Inc - http://ssrv.org.au
Social Security Rights Victoria (SSRV) was founded in 1987 as the Welfare Rights Unit to meet the urgent needs for a community legal service that specialised in impact of social security legislation. We help individuals to navigate the social security system, educate the community about social security matters and to campaign for a just and fair social security system. 

National Welfare Rights Network - http://www.welfarerights.org.au/
The National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) is a network of community legal centres throughout Australia which specialise in Social Security law and its administration by Centrelink. The network also develops policy and advocates for reform based on the principles and rights set out below.