Ways to get help

The Seniors Rights Service provides free and confidential telephone advice, aged care advocacy, legal advice and community information to seniors across NSW. You do not need to apply for a grant if you need one-off legal assistance. If you need one-off assistance, you can get free legal help without a grant through our duty services. LawAccess NSW can refer you to the community legal centre that's most appropriate for your legal issue.
Law Society of NSW provides an online search to help you find a qualified lawyer suitable for your needs. The organisations below may be able to help refer you to lawyers. There are some cases for which we do not generally give legal aid. Also, we will solicitors canterbury not pay for cases where we think you can afford your own representation, or where the chances of success are poor. There are different arrangements in place for funding for a lawyer to act for you in relation to some matters, see below.

Family Violence Law Help is a national website for people wanting to understand domestic and family violence, the law and where to get help. This website was developed by the Domestic Violence Unit of Legal Aid NSW on behalf of National Legal Aid. Our national initiatives are designed to offer specialised assistance, promote access to justice, and ensure that vulnerable groups receive the legal support they need. HRL Legal provides cost effective legal and migration services in Sydney, NSW.
If you’re representing yourself in your matter, then you won’t have to pay a cent for legal advice. Further, the internet means you can find a lot of useful information which may be relevant to your case online. However, self-representation is usually not recommended for those who do not have a good working knowledge of the law.
Referrals to volunteer solicitors are generally for legal advice, with potential representation depending on the solicitor’s assessment of your matter and capacity. Free legal advice is available to any person on many legal matters. Our legal staff will identify a client's problem, inform a client of their rights and obligations and help them understand what courses of action can be taken. Our legal staff may also provide further assistance where appropriate. Our free Legal Helpline is available for preliminary information, general advice and referrals. Advice is usually restricted to a client's basic legal rights and obligations about a particular situation.

If you are going to court, have a legal problem or question, LawAccess NSW can help you. A person appearing before a criminal court in Australia must be represented by a legal professional. In family and civil law matters, you may choose to represent yourself.
We also recognise, respect and celebrate the cultural distinctions of the First Nations peoples and value their rich and positive contribution to Queensland and to broader Australian society. With respect we strive to achieve justice and inclusion for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There are a wide range of services in NSW that can help you with free or low-cost legal information, advice and assistance. Our Find Legal Help website will ask you a few questions and match you with a community legal centre that may be able to help. Legal services can help with issues like fines, credit and debt, parenting orders, family violence and child protection.
Our Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS) is a specialised service to help older people with legal problems related to them. Our Youth Law Centre is a specialised service to help young people under 25 with legal problems. Please ask your lawyer to explain the agreement to you and ensure you understand it before signing it. Each of our services has its own specific eligibility criteria that our staff will apply when determining if we can help you.

You can save your application at any stage and return to complete it later. Please note that saved applications must be completed within 14 days. If your case is serious and you can’t afford to pay your legal costs, legal aid might pay some or all of them. If you've been arrested and you’re going to be questioned at a police station, you can find out about your right to free legal advice on GOV.UK - it doesn't matter what your income is.