The role of Victoria legal aid and community legal center in assisting

an accused

Victoria legal aid (VLA)-

a government founded organization with a board role of ensuring equal access to the legal system
for all Victorians regardless of personal circumstances.

They do this by:

Providing legal information

Providing legal advice

Providing low cost or no cost legal representation

duty lawyers (VLA lawyers who on a particular day can provide free legal help for summary offences,
it Is for those who can prove they have a limited income)

Grant of legal assistance- a specified sum of money that will pay for a lawyer of the accused
choosing. There is a “means test” ( a strict set of requirements ) to determine if the person is
eligible.

Community legal center (CLCs)-

independent organization who aims to provide legal help in a certain area.

There are two types:

Generalist CLCs- provide broad legal assistance to people in a particular location (e.g., Springvale
Monash legal service)

Specialist CLCs- provide legal assistance in a particular area of the law (e.g. youth law help with
issues of people under 25 years of age)

CLCS can:

Provide legal information, advice and in some circumstances provide representation.

Vla Provide more legal representative, clvs particular  members of the societies. Clcs helps
all victorias