The Victorian Bar Legal Assistance Scheme,
established in 1995, provides legal advice and representation
in cases which call for the retainer of a barrister. The scheme
benefits from the participation of around 400 Victorian barristers
who have indicated a willingness to accept instructions for
no fee or for a reduced fee in appropriate cases.
Members of the Bar are invited to register their interest in
participating in the Scheme. See the Contact
details.
The Legal Assistance Scheme is not a substitute for legal
aid. It was established in order to assist people whose cases
have merit or involve an important principle and which would
not otherwise be heard due to a lack of funds to pursue the
case.
To be eligible for assistance under the Scheme, you must be
able to demonstrate to the administrators of the Scheme that:
- you have a legal problem requiring the assistance of a
barrister;
- your case has legal merit;
- you do not have the financial means to obtain legal assistance
from a barrister on a full fee-paying basis;
- you are unable to obtain appropriate legal assistance
from any other source (including other
legal assistance schemes); and
- you have made an application for legal aid (unless
it is obvious to the administrators that you are ineligible
for legal aid), and either that application has been
refused or no decision has been made in relation to the
application.
The information outlined above is dealt with in detail in the Scheme's
Guidelines.
Applicants for assistance should first telephone the Scheme to discuss the matter (see the Contact details). Applications for assistance must then be made on the prescribed application form. As part of that application, you will also be required to provide information about your income, assets and financial resources.
Acrobat Reader is required to view the application form. Click
here to go to Adobe's site to download free the Reader.
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