Option 1: Legal Aid
Queensland
- Free legal advice for certain legal issues
- Free or low-cost legal representation by applying for a Grant of Legal Aid. Eligibility for a Grant of Legal Aid depends on your income and assets, and whether you have a strong legal case
Contact Legal Aid Queensland
Contact your nearest Legal Aid office to make an appointment
W: legalaid.qld.gov.au/Get-legal-help
T: 1300 65 11 88 to discuss your eligibility
Option 2: Community Legal Centres
Contact your nearest Community Legal Centre (CLC) for:
- Free online legal information
- Free legal advice and representation in some cases, depending on the Community Legal Centre’s eligibility guidelines.
OR
Contact a specialist Community Legal Centre (most have eligibility guidelines).
Contact a CLC
To find your nearest community legal centre
W: communitylegalqld.org.au/find-legal-help/find-centre
T: (07) 3392 0092
Contact a specialist CLC
Specialist Community Legal Centres include:
Basic Rights Queensland
Social Security & Disability Discrimination: (07) 3847 5532 or 1800 358 511 (free call).
Women’s Employment Issues: 1800 621 457 (free call).
Disability Law Queensland
Legal service offered at a reduced fee to cover service costs.
(07) 3622 1250
Environmental Defenders Office
(07) 3211 4466 (Brisbane) or (07) 4028 3739 (Cairns)
Job Watch (employment rights legal centre)
1800 331 617
LGBTI Legal Service
(07) 3124 7160
National Debt Helpline
1800 007 007
Prisoners Legal Service
(07) 3846 5074
Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service
1800 887 700
Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS)
(07) 3846 9300
Tenants Queensland
1300 744 263
Women’s Legal Service Qld and North Queensland Women’s Legal Service
1800 957 957 (Qld) or 1800 244 504 (North Qld)
Youth Law Australia
(02) 9385 9588
Option 3: Everyday Justice
- Everyday Justice is a not-for-profit law firm owned by Mills Oakley
- A national free legal service to help people and organisations who have ‘everyday’ legal issues but can’t afford a lawyer or access to Legal Aid
- Cannot help with: family law, criminal law, immigration, property, Centrelink matters, NDIS or workers compensation
Contact Everyday Justice
Option 4: LawRight
formerly QPILCH
- Assists people who are experiencing disadvantage by referring them to private lawyers or barristers who can provide advice or assistance for free (that is, pro bono).
- Also provides free legal advice and assistance to:
- people experiencing or at risk of homelessness
- refugees in Brisbane who have been in Australia for less than 5 years
- people representing themselves in court (see “Legal help in court” below)
- people experiencing mental health issues.
- Cannot assist in family law, criminal, personal injury, native title, building and construction cases, or complex commercial cases. Referrals to other agencies may be possible.
Contact LawRight
To apply for a referral from LawRight, complete the online form here.
T: (07) 3846 6317 (Brisbane)
Option 5: Legal help in Court
LawRight Self-Representation Service
In matters in the Qld District and Supreme Courts and Court of Appeal, QCAT, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court and the Brisbane Magistrates Court (debtors in enforcement hearings):
- Information and face-to-face advice about representing yourself in court in certain types of matters
- Cannot assist in family law, criminal, personal injury, native title, building and construction cases or complex commercial cases.
- Duty Lawyer service in QCAT, for clients whose matter in QCAT is caused or exacerbated by family violence.
Contact the Self-Representation Service
Duty lawyer services
Free representation in certain matters in the Magistrate’s Courts, Children’s Court, Family Court, Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court
Contact Magistrates Court criminal law duty lawyers
For assistance before the court date, contact Legal Aid.
T: 1300 65 11 88
Contact a family law duty lawyer
Contact a child protection duty lawyer
Contact a domestic and family violence duty lawyer
For the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Service:
T: 1300 65 11 88
Court-appointed legal assistance
For matters in the Federal Court of Australia:
- Court referrals to private lawyers who can assist for free or at low cost (that is, pro bono)
- Limited to cases where there is no other free legal help available
Contact the Federal Court of Australia
Option 6: Legal info
Legal information can help you decide on the best solution for your legal problem. Our Self-help legal information page has a list of websites where you can find simple legal information.