Disability Discrimination Legal Service (DDLS)Ross House, Level 2, 247 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000Tel: 9654 8644; 1300 882 872 (rural calls)E-mail: info@ddls.org.auWeb: www.ddls.org.auDDLS is a national municipal legal centre specializing in discrimination against persons with disabilities. Community legal centres provide free legal advice and recommendations. Some centres also have lawyers who handle cases. Call during business hours to make an appointment or request walk-in hours, as many legal services also offer overnight service when an appointment may not be necessary. Note that most legal centres do not offer legal advice over the phone. Callers are directed to Victoria Legal Aid`s legal helpline (tel: 1300-792-387). Refugee LegalLevel 6, 20 Otter Street, Collingwood Vic 3066Tel (admin): 9413 0101Tel (Legal Advice Number): 9413 0100 (Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 2pm)Email: refugeelegal@refugeelegal.org.auWeb: refugeelegal.org.auRefugee Legal provides free specialist legal assistance to asylum seekers, refugees and disadvantaged migrants. Federation of Community Legal Centres VictoriaLevel 3, 225 Bourke Street, Melbourne Vic 3000Tel: 9652 1501Email: administration@fclc.org.auWeb: www.fclc.org.auThe Federation is Victoria`s leading body for Community Law Centres. Whittlesea Community Connections Legal ServiceShop 111, Epping Plaza, 571–583 High Street, Epping Vic 3076Tel.
: 9401 6666Email: admin@whittleseacc.org.auWeb: www.whittleseacommunityconnections.org.au/community-services/community-legal-services/Provides Services for people living, working or studying in the City of Whittlesea Community Legal Centres Australia (CLCA), which represents approximately 180 CLCs, noted in its response to the recent federal budget that this is the first opportunity for the Albanese government to fulfill its pre-election commitment to increase investment in municipal legal centres and improve access to justice. We offer free legal advice, information, referrals and support in handling family, criminal and civil matters. West Heidelberg Community Legal Service21 Alamein Road, West Heidelberg Vic 3081Tel: 9450 2002Email: whclegal@bchs.org.auWeb: bchs.org.au/services/whclegal/ We focus our resources on helping the most disadvantaged members of the community, including people who are homeless, have mental illness, have disabilities, have addictions, and those with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. First Step Legal42 Carlisle Street, St Kilda Vic 3198Tel: 9537 3177Email: info@firststep.org.auWeb: www.firststep.org.auFirst Step is a non-profit mental health, addiction and legal advice centre. Women`s Rights Department Victoria| Level 10, 277 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000Tel: 8622 0600; 1800 133 302Email: admin@womenslegal.org.auWeb: www.womenslegal.org.auProvides free legal advice to women in Victoria. Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) Level 3, The 60L Green Building, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton Vic 3053Tel: 8341 3100; 1300 336 842E-mail: admin@envirojustice.org.auWeb: www.envirojustice.org.auEJA is a non-profit law firm that uses litigation and advocacy to protect nature. InTouch Legal Centre (iTLC)Tel: 9413-6500Email: admin@intouch.org.auWeb: intouch.org.au/how-we-can-help/information-for-professionals/our-legal-centre/iTLC provides legal advice and support to individuals receiving assistance in managing domestic violence cases at the inTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence. The government has kept important promises, the CLCA said, but future budgets need to be more burdensome if people receive adequate legal support.
And just as Covid has revealed gaps in the healthcare system, it is also starting to affect the legal sector. The current wave of interest, energy and rising rents are also contributing to this. JobWatchLevel 10, 21 Victoria Street, Melbourne Vic 3000Tel: 9662 1933 (Melbourne Underground); 1800 331 617 (rural)Email: jobwatch@jobwatch.org.auJobWatch is a legal centre for workers` rights. One of the women McMahon recently supported, who cannot be named for legal reasons, says she should have dropped her case if the CLC hadn`t helped. The acute pressure on municipal legal centres is not manifesting itself as you can imagine. Formerly the North Melbourne Legal Service, we have been providing free legal advice and support to our community since 1978. We changed our name to Inner Melbourne Community Legal (IMCL) in 2013 to better reflect the community we serve. Guardian Australia spent a day at the centre and another day with a senior domestic violence lawyer at Melbourne Magistrates` Court to gain insight into an area that many are warning against. Inner Melbourne Community Legal is a non-profit community organisation that provides free legal assistance to disadvantaged people in the City of Melbourne. Our mission is to promote social justice and community health and well-being through advocacy, education and case processing. Mental Health Legal Centre (MHLC)Building 152, 147 Pelham Street, Carlton Vic 3053Tel: 9629-4422; 1800 555 887Web: mhlc.org.auThe MHLC offers a free and confidential legal service to anyone with mental illness in Victoria if their legal problem is related to their mental illness.
Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC)Tel.: 9629 6300; 1800 466 477 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10am to 1pm)Tel (legal advice line for employees): 9602 3326 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm)Tel (Koori hotline): 1800 574 457 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 10am to 1pm)Web: consumeraction.org.auCALC is a specialist legal centre that provides free legal advice to Victorians on fair trade or consumer credit issues.