Last Updated 8 August 2016

Legal Aid Queensland

Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) was established under the Legal Aid Queensland Act 1997 (Qld) and is the major legal aid agency in Queensland, providing legal assistance to financially disadvantaged people either for free or for a contribution.

Legal services may be provided either by LAQ staff lawyers, or LAQ may enter into arrangements with private solicitors, barristers and some community legal centres to provide those services.

For more information about the location of Legal Aid offices, the services they provide and eligibility criteria for free assistance contact LAQ.

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Service

The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) Ltd is a non-profit, community-based Indigenous organisation responsible for the provision of legal representation under a contract for services with the federal Attorney-General’s Department. Services are delivered to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

The key areas of service delivery are:

  • criminal law representation and advice
  • family and civil law representation and advice
  • prison-based advice and assistance in relation to legal and sentence-management issues
  • advocacy, law reform and community legal education programs.

The Public Trustee

The Public Trustee provides information about wills, powers of attorney, inheritance and the administration of estates. The Public Trustee provides a free service for people wishing to make a will and will also hold the will in safe custody free of charge. The Public Trustee can also prepare a power of attorney for a fee.

Union solicitors

Many unions have arrangements with firms of solicitors to provide free services to union members. Generally, this service covers only workers compensation, accident claims and other matters arising out of the course of a person’s employment. Union law firms may also provide free legal advice to members. Direct enquiries should be made to the relevant union.

Working Women Queensland

Working Women Queensland provides specialist confidential industrial law advice to women about work-related issues such as pay, working conditions, unfair dismissal, discrimination, sexual harassment, entitlements, workplace safety and workplace bullying.