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Our history – looking back over 30 years

In September 2011, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria, which became Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) in 1995.

Here is a glimpse of VLA's achievements and highlights over the past 30 years.

2010 – our history

A door-to-door sales scam targetting Shepparton's African communities was the catalyst for a series of legal education sessions conducted by Victoria Legal Aid and local welfare agencies.

In the wake of the devastating Black Saturday fires in February 2009, we joined Bushfire Legal Help, which responded to more than 2100 enquiries and provided ongoing help to more than 800 Victorians affected by bushfire.

2007 – our history

Victoria Legal Aid established a team at Australia's first Neighbourhood Justice Centre and established a civil law practice specialising in social security law.

2004 – our history

The Roundtable Dispute Management service, which aims to help families resolve their disputes without going to court, opened in October 2004.

2002 – our history

We opened our Shepparton office in 2002, the first new regional office to open since 1989.

1997 – our history

Following the tragedy at Port Arthur, we assisted 65 victims with claims under the Port Arthur victims appeal fund.

1995 – our history

Following two government reviews, it was decided to replace the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria with Victoria Legal Aid.

1993 – our history

We were involved in one of our more unusual test cases when we took an appeal to the Supreme Court over whether a studded belt was a weapon.

1990 – our history

We launched the educational video Certain Monies at Old Melbourne Gaol, aimed to educate young people about the operations of Victoria's County and Supreme courts and dispel myths about the court system.

1989 – our history

We successfully represented the widow of a war veteran who died of cancer after serving near Hiroshima.

1985 – our history

Our Morwell office opened in August. It was the seventh office and the first to open outside of metropolitan Melbourne or Geelong.

1984 – our history

Our educational video, Getting Court, won an award for creative excellence in the United States and a new regional office opened in Frankston.

1983 – our history

We assisted on a test case into the Ash Wednesday bushfires which aimed to establish liability for numerous other similar claims.

1982 – our history

We expanded our role in community education running television advertisements aimed at the Vietnamese and Turkish communities.

1981 – our history

Victoria Legal Aid came to life as the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria on 1 September 1981, with an impressive new headquarters at 179 Queen St and offices in Brunswick, Geelong, Glenroy and Sunshine.

Before 1981

The idea of legal aid is more than 100 years old in Victoria. Find out what happened before the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria (LACV) officially began operations in 1981.

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Last reviewed: 02 January 2009 Last modified: 09 June 2011