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Getting Legal Help

When to seek legal help

Many people suffer more than they need to as the result of legal problems that could have been avoided if a lawyer had been consulted at the first sign of trouble.

In the case of relationship breakdown where property or children are involved, legal advice should be sought at an early stage to ensure that rights are protected. A person who is injured at work, in a car accident or even walking along the street should seek legal advice immediately after the injury becomes apparent, as prompt action is required for workers compensation and personal injury claims. Advice about the terms of a lease or contract after it has been signed will probably be too late to be useful.

It is important to see a lawyer or apply for legal aid as soon as possible after being charged with a criminal offence.

The Legal Service’s Commission has a free legal advice line for help for all South Australians – phone 1300 366 424.

Legal Aid

Legal aid services can be broadly divided into legal advice and legal representation. Most legal aid agencies also take an active role in community legal education and law reform.

Advice about legal rights and problems is given by a variety of agencies. For example, it is provided free of charge by agencies such as the Legal Services Commission, community legal centres, the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement and Consumer and Business Services. Sometimes there are restrictions on the areas of law covered or the geographical area. Further assistance, and referrals to other agencies, are given where appropriate.

Legal representation usually involves attendance in court, but it may also cover services such as the drafting of documents or legal negotiations. Often services are given subject to means tests and guidelines, which set the priorities for the use of an agency's funds.

Legal Services Commission

159 Gawler Place ADELAIDE 5000

Legal Help Line: 1300 366 424

ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICES:

Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement

Adelaide (Head Office)

321-325 King William Street ADELAIDE 5000

Telephone: 8113 3777

or 1800 643 222 (toll free)

Port Augusta

12 Church Street PORT AUGUSTA 5700

Telephone: 8113 3788

Ceduna

Cnr East Tce and Merghiny Drive CEDUNA 5690

Telephone: 8113 3790

Family Violence Legal Service Aboriginal Corporation (FVLSAC)

Port Augusta (Head Office)

26 Jervois Street PORT AUGUSTA SA 5700

Phone: 08 8641 2195 or 1800 111 052

Port Lincoln

Level 1, Jobomi House, 50 Liverpool Street PORT LINCOLN SA 5606

Phone: 08 8683 1896 or 1800 309 912

Ceduna

17 McKenzie Street CEDUNA SA 5690

Phone: 08 8625 3800 or 1800 839 059

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES:

Community legal centres provide legal advice and assistance to disadvantaged clients and local residents. Their services can also include financial counselling, child support assistance, social security advocacy and mediation. They can sometimes help with legal problems that are outside legal aid guidelines.

For details of community legal centres in other states see the National Association of Community Legal Centres

Metropolitan:

Uniting Communities Law Centre

General advice, mediation, social security

43 Franklin Street ADELAIDE SA 5000

Telephone: 8202 5960

Uniting Communities Mediation Service

Neighbourhood disputes, mediation

Telephone: 8202 5960

Consumer Credit Law Centre (Operated by Uniting Communities Law Centre)

Consumer disputes, credit law, bankruptcy, mortgages, debts

Level 3, 43 Franklin Street ADELAIDE SA 5000

Telephone: 8202 5960

Northern Community Legal Service

General legal advice, child support, financial counselling & employment law

26 John Street SALISBURY 5108

Telephone: 8281 6911

Community Justice Centres SA

Christies Beach (Head Office)

General legal advice, InDIGO project (specialist domestic violence service), regional outreach

40 Beach Road CHRISTIES BEACH 5165

Telephone: 8384 5222

Mount Gambier

8A Commercial Road West MOUNT GAMBIER 5290

Telephone: 8723 1396

Berri

9 Kay Avenue, BERRI 5343

WestSide Lawyers

Hindmarsh (Head Office)

General legal advice

171 Commercial Road PORT ADELAIDE 5015

Telephone: 8340 9009

Port Pirie

72 Ellen Street PORT PIRIE 5540

Telephone: 8633 3600

Outreach: Clare, Kadina, Maitland, Peterborough & Port Augusta

FOR WOMEN:

Women's Legal Service (SA)

Level 7, 45 Grenfell Street ADELAIDE 5000

Telephone: 1800 816 349

Telephone: 8221 5553 or 1800 655 037 (Advice)

Telephone: 8231 8929 (Admin)

TTY 1800 670 864

Rural Women's Outreach and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Programs

Outreach: Port Augusta, Coober Pedy and the APY Lands

InDIGO Project - specialist domestic violence service targeting the Southern suburbs

OTHER SPECIALIST SERVICES:

Working Women's Centre

Workplace disputes, discrimination, underpayment, sexual harassment, bullying, redundancy, employment contracts

Level 1, Station Arcade, 52 Hindley Street ADELAIDE 5000

Telephone: 8410 6499

UNIVERSITY LEGAL CLINICS:

Adelaide University Law School Legal Clinics

Adelaide Magistrates Court (Mondays and Tuesdays)

Telephone: 8204 2444

Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Thursdays)

Telephone: 1800 228 333

Adelaide Legal Outreach Clinic (Tuesdays)

Adelaide Law School

Telephone: 8313 7496

Equal Opportunity Legal Advice Service (Wednesdays)

Email: eolas@adelaide.edu.au

Entrepreneur and Venture Legal Advice (Wednesdays)

Email: evac@adelaide.edu.au

University of South Australia Legal Advice Clinics

City West campus, by appointment

Magistrates Courts Drop In

Port Adelaide (Wednesdays)

Elizabeth (Tuesdays)

Telephone: 8302 7436

Flinders Legal Centre

Bedford Park Campus (Wednesdays)

Cooinda Neighbourhood Centre, Sturt (Thursdays)

Flinders at Tonsley, Clovelly Park (Tuesdays)

Telephone: 7421 9985

Getting Legal Help  :  Last Revised: Thu Feb 22nd 2024
The content of the Law Handbook is made available as a public service for information purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice. See Disclaimer for details. For free and confidential legal advice in South Australia call 1300 366 424.