Stage of law - practising lawyers
This guide has been designed not just to be a useful resource for students, but also to provide those already in the profession with information about public interest law careers. The links below will assist you in researching the public interest law employment market and identify positions that suit your skills and interests.
Some volunteering opportunities are also listed. Volunteering in a community legal centre or advocacy organisation like Liberty Victoria or the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel can provide satisfaction to those in private practice who wish to make a greater contribution to social justice issues. The list of community legal centres below is by no means exhaustive and there are many others who may benefit from your contribution. For more information, visit the CLC Volunteers website.
If you are interested in incorporating collaborative law or mediation into your practice, see the relevant entries and testimonials under Alternative Dispute Resolution. There is a dramatic shortage of lawyers in rural areas, and research shows that many principals are currently nearing retirement. If you are ready for a change of scene, see the Remote Rural and Regional Lawyering entry.
Employers:
- Academia
- Anika Legal
- Association of Employees with a Disability (AED) Legal Centre
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
- Australian Law Reform Commission
- Australian Security and Investments Commission
- Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
- Consumer Action Law Centre
- Coroners Court of Victoria
- Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Department of Human Services
- Department of State Development, Business and Innovation
- Department of Treasury and Finance
- Disability Discrimination Legal Service
- Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria
- Djirra
- Emma House
- Environment Defenders Office
- Fair Work Commission
- Fair Work Ombudsman
- Federation of Community Legal Centres
- Financial Ombudsman Service
- First Nations Legal and Research Services Ltd
- First Step Legal Service
- Fitzroy Legal Service
- Health Services Commissioner
- Human Rights Law Centre
- Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission
- Justice Connect
- Koori Courts
- Law and Advocacy Centre for Women
- Law Institute of Victoria
- Legal Services Commissioner
- McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer
- Office of the Chief Commissioner of Police
- Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel
- Office of the Public Advocate
- Office of Public Prosecutions
- Parliament of Victoria
- Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre
- RSPCA
- Seniors Rights Victoria
- Sentencing Advisory Council
- Springvale Monash Legal Service
- Social Security Rights Victoria
- St Kilda Legal Service
- State Trustees
- Supreme Court of Victoria
- Tolling Customer Ombudsman
- Transport Accident Commission
- Victoria Legal Aid
- Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
- Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
- Victorian Law Reform Commission
- Voiceless
- Women's Legal Service Victoria
- Youthlaw
Volunteering Opportunities:
- Alternative Law Journal
- Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
- Barristers Animal Welfare Panel
- Bisexual Alliance
- Climate Change and Environmental Law Panel
- Lawyers for Animals
- Liberty Victoria
- Progressive Law Network
- Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre
- Taxi Driver Legal Service
- Tenants Union of Victoria
- Transgender Victoria
- Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service
- Youth Referral and Independent Person Program
Postgraduate Scholarships:
Internships:
