What is a Community Legal Centre (CLC)?
Community Legal Centres Australia describes community legal centres (CLCs) as:
…non-government, not-for-profit organisations that provide free and independent civil, family, and criminal legal services to people experiencing financial disadvantage, discrimination or violence and abuse. They also provide holistic, trauma-informed non-legal supports, community legal education, and law reform and advocacy to deliver the sector’s vision for progressive change.
There are almost 200 CLCs across Australia that provide legal assistance to those who are not able to afford legal assistance but are unable to obtain assistance from Legal Aid. This may be because a person needs assistance for something that Legal Aid does not do, or because they do not qualify for Legal Aid assistance.
Please note that CLCs are not part of Legal Aid.
What do CLCs do?
CLCs have different specialities and resources. These services can include providing:
- Legal advice (in person or over the phone)
- Other legal assistance (for example, help to prepare letters or complete forms)
- Legal representation (in a court or tribunal)
- Publications on a range of legal topics
- Information on other legal and non-legal services in your area
- Legal education for organisations and communities.
Some CLCs have after-hours night clinics, some set up daytime appointments for clients to meet with lawyers, some let you drop in at any time, and some have phone advice lines. To find out which services your local CLC provides, you should contact them directly or visit their website.
What are the two types of CLCs?
CLCs can either be generalist or specialist legal service providers.
- A generalist CLC provides legal services in a range of areas of law and will generally service a particular geographic area, such as a local government area.
- A specialist CLC provides legal services in relation to a particular area of law or to a particular group of people with special needs (e.g., the Financial Rights Legal Centre and the Intellectual Disability Rights Service).
How can I find a CLC?
The best place to find a CLC to help you is on the following websites, depending on where you live:
- Australian Capital Territory – ACT Law Society directory
- New South Wales – Community Legal Centres NSW
- Northern Territory – NT Government directory
- Queensland – Community Legal Centres Queensland
- South Australia – Community Legal Centres South Australia
- Tasmania – Community Legal Centres Tasmania
- Victoria – Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria
- Western Australia – Community Legal WA
You can find further information on the Community Legal Centres Australia website.
How do I volunteer?
For general information on volunteering at CLCs (and listings of current CLC employment and volunteering opportunities), please visit Social Justice Opportunities.
Last updated November 2024.