While the idea of legal aid is more than 100 years old in Victoria, in 1981 the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria was established and became Victoria Legal Aid in 1995.
For over 60,000 years
First Nations peoples are the Traditional Custodians of lands across Victoria and knowledge keepers of some of the oldest forms of lore and jurisprudence, far pre-dating legal systems introduced with colonisation.
1800s
Legal costs are waived for paupers, a tradition carried over from Britain with colonisation.
1903
New law allows people charged with Commonwealth indictable offences to apply for defence appointed by the court.
1928
Those with less than £50 in property can get legal aid through Victoria’s new Public Solicitor’s Office.
1964
With demand for legal assistance growing, the Legal Aid Committee is set up and run by Victoria’s legal profession.
1973
Victoria’s first community legal centres open in Fitzroy, St Kilda and Springvale, as well as the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.
1974
More people can access legal aid through a new federal body, the Australian Legal Aid Office.
1981
We open as the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria. We have 11 offices by the end of the decade.
1992
The High Court upholds the right to a fair trial for people accused of serious crimes. Victoria responds with laws allowing courts to order legal aid.
1995
We become known as Victoria Legal Aid.
1996
65 victims of the Port Arthur mass shooting make compensation claims with our help
2003
Around 1,600 East Timorese refugees obtain protection visas, helped jointly by us and the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre.
2009
Following the Black Saturday bushfires, we unite with partners to form Bushfire Legal Help to help those affected.
2012
Indonesian boat crew members represented by us are acquitted in Victoria’s first people smuggling trial, helping bring an end to harsh mandatory sentencing laws.
2015
We launch our first non-legal advocacy service, supporting people receiving compulsory mental health treatment to know and stand up for their rights.
2015
We take insurance giant QBE to court over its discrimination against people with mental health issues, leading to changes across the travel insurance industry.
2015
We establish our Aboriginal Community Engagement Officer program, aiming to improve access to justice for First Nations communities across Victoria.
2017
We launch a program providing legal assistance and social support for people involved in family law proceedings who have been affected or have used family violence.
2018
With reforms to bail laws, we launch our duty lawyer service at the Bail and Remand Court, operating day and evening, each day of the year.
2019
The Commonwealth Government concedes its robo-debt scheme is unlawful after we initiate proceedings in the Federal Court on behalf of two clients.
2020s
With the pandemic creating court backlogs, we adapt to continue our critical services for clients during lockdowns and provide more people pre-court advice and digital services.
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