Applying for grants for clients with summary crime and family violence matters

Under section 29A of the Legal Aid Act 1978 (Vic) we are authorised to establish private practitioner panels for the delivery of legally aided services. 

Only an individual certifier on a relevant panel can submit an application for legal assistance in that specific area of law.

Read a brief list of which matters fall under each Victoria Legal Aid panel.

We understand that there may be some confusion from practitioners who are on the summary crime panel with clients who have family violence proceedings running alongside. 

The family violence panel is a separate panel. This means practitioners who are not on the panel are not eligible to submit a grants application on behalf of their client for family violence matters. This is distinct from duty lawyer work.

We know that many legally aided clients have family violence proceedings which run alongside summary crime proceedings. Despite this, practitioners should refer their clients to an appropriate family violence panel firm and have that firm apply for a grant of aid on the client's behalf. 

We welcome new applications to join the family violence panel on a rolling basis. 

More information

Apply for panel membership.

For further panels information, please contact the panels team by emailing panels@vla.vic.gov.au or call (03) 9606 5264.