Getting legal help

Booking an appointment

To make an appointment to speak to a lawyer, the first step is to call us on (03) 9310 4376 or email us at admin@northernclc.org.au. We’ll ask you some questions about your background, your legal issue and the details of the ‘other party’ (the person or organisation you have a legal problem with). We need this information so we can do a ‘conflict of interest check’. This is in case we have already given advice to the other party in your matter, which creates a legal conflict. You can learn more about legal conflicts here.​​​

 

You can choose whether your appointment with the lawyer is via video call, telephone call, or in-person at our centre in Broadmeadows. If you need an interpreter, just let us know when booking. 

 

If we can’t provide assistance, we’ll refer you to another organisation that can.​​

 

Seeing the lawyer

To prepare for your appointment, write down any questions you have and gather any relevant documents. You’ll need to have these with you when you meet with the lawyer.  

 

You will be booked in for a one-off, 45-minute appointment. During your appointment, the lawyer will ask certain questions and may need to be quick and direct with you. This is so they can properly understand your situation and give you the best possible legal advice within your appointment time.   

 

In some cases, but not all, we may be able to provide further legal support beyond the first appointment.  

 

Please note that we don’t generally represent people in court, unless you’re applying for a family violence intervention order, where we have a duty lawyer available at the Court most days.  ​​​​

 

Other legal services

Family violence duty lawyer service

This service at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court provides on-the-spot advice and limited court representation for applicants in family violence intervention order matters on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Referrals are made through the Court. We do not make appointments.

 

​Victims Legal Service

NCLC is a Victims Legal Service provider. This means that we can provide free legal advice to priority clients who have suffered an injury or loss because of a crime. Learn more about the Victims Legal Service here.​

 

Outreaches

To ensure that we are accessible to the community, NCLC provides a range of outreach locations at other community organisations within our catchment area.