Legal Assistance Services

This release presents experimental data about legal assistance clients and services funded through the National Legal Assistance Partnership Agreement (2020-2025) (NLAP), and completed between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 by a Legal Aid Commission (LAC), Community Legal Centre (CLC) or an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (ATSILS).

Statistics in this release are provided at the national level for LACs, CLCs and ATSILSs.

There are a range of factors that affect the nature and comparability of the data presented in this publication. LACs, CLCs and ATSILSs have different service models, deliver services to different populations, and are funded differently, so their data are presented separately. Comparisons between LACs, CLCs and ATSILSs should only be made with caution and with reference to contextual differences. More information is provided in the Methodology. 

Together, these data provide a national picture of the legal assistance service system, including the clients accessing legal assistance services and the types of legal problems they experience.

This publication presents data about two main populations: clients and services.

A client is defined as a person, group or organisation who received one or more legal services that were completed during the reference period.

Clients can receive a legal assistance service as either the victim/applicant or the alleged perpetrator/respondent in any given legal matter. The data in this publication does not differentiate between these client ‘types’. This should be taken into consideration when interpreting the statistics. Refer to Methodology for more information.   

For clients, information is presented about:

• Gender
• Age
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status
• Service type/s received
• Number of completed services received in the period.

A service is the formal provision of legal assistance (to a client), completed within the reference period.

For services, information is presented about:

• Service type
• Law type
• Problem type.

These data items are further described throughout this publication, including the Methodology and Glossary.

Please refer to Methodology for more details relating to the following points.

Scope

This publication includes information about services delivered by service providers (i.e. LACs, ATSILSs and CLCs) that receive funding through the National Legal Assistance Partnership (2020-2025) (NLAP). These service providers may also receive funding from alternative sources. 

There are challenges for some parts of the sector in being able to accurately identify services provided using Commonwealth NLAP funding; particularly where more than one funding source is utilised for a service. As such, there may be some inconsistency across service providers in relation to the scope of services in this publication. 

Legal assistance sector workload

The counts of clients and services in this collection do not represent the total workload of the LACs, ATSILSs and CLCs during the reference period. 

Included:

• Services completed between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023
• Services provided with Commonwealth NLAP funding
• Legal task, legal advice, non-legal support, ongoing legal support, duty lawyer, facilitated resolution processes, and representations.

Excluded:

• Services ongoing/open at 30 June 2023
• Services not funded by the NLAP

• Information services, referrals, and services for the community.

   

Comparison of data across the sector 

There are various factors impacting the comparability of the data in this collection which need to be considered when interpreting the statistics, including: 

• The amount of Commonwealth NLAP funding each service provider receives
• Service provider differences (e.g. total funding, size, workforce, location)
• Client eligibility and complexity of legal need in the community
• Availability of alternative services
• Differences in the administrative data systems used across the sector
• Differences in how the NLAP and National Legal Assistance Data Standards Manual (DSM) counting rules are interpreted and applied when recording data about services and clients. 

Effort/resources used to deliver a service

The count of services completed during the year does not reflect the total time, effort or resources required to deliver these services. For example, a representation service can take months or several years to complete, requiring considerable resources; whereas a single legal advice service may take minutes to complete. However, both these services are counted as a single service within this collection. 

Multiple services

Individual clients can receive a completed service from more than one service provider during the reference period (e.g. one service at a LAC and one at a CLC). Where this occurs, these clients will be counted in the data for each service provider. 

In 2022-23 there were 792,609 legal assistance services completed nationally by Legal Aid Commissions (LACs), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILSs) and Community Legal Centres (CLCs).

Of these: 

• 52% (409,966) were legal advice services 
• 23% (180,527) were duty lawyer services 
• 11% (87,692) were representation services 
• 10% (76,998) were legal task services
• 5% (37,435) were non-legal support services, ongoing legal support services and facilitated resolution processes, collectively.

Nationally, there were 426,930 clients who received a completed service during 2022-23, of which: 

• 52% were female (222,370 clients)
• 46% were male (194,919 clients).

Most clients were aged:

• 35 to 49 years (29% or 122,071 clients)

• 25 to 34 years (21% or 90,266 clients).

   

Client profile for each service type

Legal advice services

During 2022-23, nearly 3 in 4 clients (73% or 312,041 clients) received a legal advice service. Of these:

• 55% were female (172,767 clients)
• 43% were male (133,798 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (28% or 86,565 clients)

• 18% (56,743 clients) received more than one legal advice service.

   

Duty lawyer services

During 2022-23, there were 70,618 clients (17%) who received a duty lawyer service. Of these:

• 58% were male (41,163 clients)
• 41% were female (28,626 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (32% or 22,765 clients)

• 45% (31,862 clients) received more than one duty lawyer service.

   

Representation services

During 2022-23, there were 64,087 clients (15%) who received a completed representation service. Of these:

• 50% were male (31,951 clients)
• 46% were female (29,439 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (31% or 19,888 clients)

• 21% (13,674 clients) received more than one completed representation service.

   

Legal task services 

During 2022-23, there were 51,985 clients (12%) who received a legal task service. Of these:

• 50% were female (25,739 clients)
• 49% were male (25,190 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (31% or 16,268 clients)
• 24% (12,268 clients) received more than one legal task service. 

Legal Aid Commissions (LACs) are independent statutory bodies operating in each state and territory. They provide legal assistance services for individuals that are experiencing disadvantage.

Services provided to clients

Each of the LACs provide services for both State and Commonwealth law matters. However, for this collection only those services provided with Commonwealth National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) funding are included, as follows:

• Representation services (provided via a grant of legal aid) for Commonwealth matters; and limited State matters where they are associated with a Commonwealth family law matter.
• Facilitated resolution processes and duty lawyer services for Commonwealth matters; and limited State matters where they are associated with a Commonwealth family law matter.
• All other service types for Commonwealth and State matters (i.e. advice, task, non-legal support). 

As a result, representation services, facilitated resolution processes and duty lawyer services for state legislated matters (which covers most criminal law matters and some civil and family law matters) are not included in the statistics in this publication.

Key information to assist interpretation of the statistics

Please refer to About this release and Methodology for more details relating to the following points.

Differences in services provided by LACs

There are various factors impacting the data from states/territories that contributed to these national statistics, such as: 

• The amount of funding each LAC receives
• How each LAC allocates their funding, and
• Consequently, the types of services provided.

Further, there are likely some differences in how the NLAP and National Legal Assistance Data Standards Manual (DSM) counting rules are interpreted and applied when recording data about services and clients. 

This needs to be taken into consideration when interpreting the statistics.

Comparability of LAC data with other parts of the legal assistance service sector

The profile of services delivered by LACs differs in various ways from that of other service providers in the sector (i.e. ATSILSs and CLCs). This includes the fact that not all legal matters and services delivered by the LACs are Commonwealth NLAP funded (as described above), which impacts the data presented in this publication.

Cross-sector comparison of the results presented in this publication should be avoided. 

Services

During 2022-23, there were 382,466 legal services completed by LACs nationally, of which: 

• 68% were legal advice services (259,089 services)
• 12% were legal task services (44,788 services)
• 10% were representation services (36,319 services)
• 5% were duty lawyer services (19,041 services).

And

• 37% were for family law matters (142,664 services)
• 33% were for civil law matters (128,084 services)
• 26% were for criminal law matters (99,643 services).

During 2022-23, there were 247,340 clients who received a completed service from LACs nationally, of which:

• 51% were female (126,832 clients)

• 47% were male (115,215 clients).

   

Client profile for each service type

Legal advice services

During 2022-23, the majority of clients (83% or 205,326 clients) received a legal advice service. Of these:

• 51% were female (105,240 clients)
• 48% were male (97,808 clients)
• 16% (32,436 clients) received more than one legal advice service. 

Legal task services

During 2022-23, there were 32,098 clients (13%) who received a legal task service. Of these:

• 56% were male (17,969 clients)
• 42% were female (13,583 clients)
• The most common age groups were 25 to 34 years and 35 to 44 years (23%, or 7,504 and 7,360 clients respectively)
• 21% (6,814 clients) received more than one legal task service. 

Representation services

During 2022-23, there were 29,985 clients (12%) who received a completed representation service. Of these: 

• 54% were female (16,313 clients)
• 38% were male (11,297 clients)
• The most common age group was 25 to 34 years (28%, or 8,351 clients)
• 16% (4,900 clients) received more than one completed representation service.

Duty lawyer services

During 2022-23, there were 12,545 clients (5%) who received a duty lawyer service. Of these: 

• 64% were female (7,992 clients)
• 35% were male (4,406 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 44 years (34% or 4,216 clients)
• 31% (3,845 clients) received more than one duty lawyer service.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILSs) are independent, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled legal services with offices located in each state and territory. ATSILSs are founded on the principle of self-determination and provide culturally safe legal assistance and holistic support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

ATSILSs were the first established community-based legal services in Australia and are some of the oldest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled representative organisations in Australia.

ATSILSs are increasingly providing family, care and protection, and civil law services, dependent on funding and resources available. However, the nature of services that are delivered by ATSILSs are largely reflective of the ongoing demand for legal assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are over-represented across the criminal justice system. 

Core funding of the ATSILSs comes from the Commonwealth government, under the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP). Some ATSILSs also receive additional funding from their respective state/territory justice departments, and/or program-specific funding e.g. from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). 

Key information to assist interpretation of the statistics   

Please refer to About this release and Methodology for more details relating to the following points

Some ATSILSs operate in complex environments, where various factors can impact service provision, such as:

• Increasing demand for culturally safe services
• Limited access to fully qualified language interpreters
• Challenges in delivering services to clients living in extremely remote areas. For example, ATSILSs staff often travel thousands of kilometres to attend to their clients and courts.
• Limited capacity/resources to assist clients across all areas of law.

Differences in services provided by ATSILSs

Each ATSILS is an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisation, responsive to their communities and unique jurisdictional issues. As such, there are various factors impacting the data contributing to these national statistics, such as differences in: 

• The amount of funding provided by the states/territories and/or other funding sources 
• The types of services offered
• The administrative data systems used
• How the NLAP and National Legal Assistance Data Standards Manual (DSM) counting rules are interpreted and applied when recording data about services and clients.

Comparability of ATSILSs data with other parts of the legal assistance sector

The profile of services delivered by ATSILSs differs from that of other service providers in the sector (i.e. LACs and CLCs). There are also differences across the sector in how the NLAP and DSM counting rules are interpreted and applied when recording data about services and clients. Cross sector comparisons of the results presented in this publication should be avoided.

National summary

Services

During 2022-23, there were 209,484 legal services completed by ATSILSs nationally, of which:  

• 70% were duty lawyer services (147,002 services)
• 19% were representation services (39,096 services)
• 7% were legal advice services (15,354 services). 

Clients

During 2022-23, there were 63,729 clients who received a completed service from an ATSILSs nationally, of which:

• 67% were male (42,795 clients)
• 33% were female (20,703 clients).

Half of all clients were aged:

• 25 to 34 years (29% or 18,305 clients)
• 35 to 44 years (21% or 13,246 clients).

Client profile for each service type

Duty lawyer services

During 2022-23, the majority of clients (73% or 46,804) received a duty lawyer service. Of these:

• 70% were male (32,930 clients)
• 29% were female (13,746 clients)
• The most common age group was 25 to 34 years (30% or 14,129 clients)

• 55% (25,785 clients) received more than one duty lawyer service.

   

Representation services

During 2022-23, there were 24,129 clients (38%) who received a completed representation service. Of these:

• 72% were male (17,306 clients)
• 28% were female (6,765 clients)
• The most common age group was 25 to 34 years (31%, 7,372 clients)

• 30% (7,315 clients) received more than one completed representation service.

   

Legal advice services

During 2022-23, there were 10,578 clients (17%) who received a legal advice service. Of these:

• 53% were male (5,597)
• 47% were female (4,921)
• 22% (2,279 clients) received more than one legal advice service. 

Community Legal Centres (CLCs) are independent community-based and community-embedded providers of legal and related assistance to people in need, predominantly people experiencing financial hardship.

CLCs work across a broad range of family and civil law areas, with some centres also operating criminal law practices.  

Whilst CLCs overwhelmingly target services towards those people experiencing financial hardship, centres also recognise there can be other barriers to justice besides financial ones and therefore other factors such as exposure to violence or discrimination can also determine eligibility for receiving a service. For example, some centres might run public interest cases for clients/communities without application of a financial hardship test. 

Key information to assist interpretation of the statistics

Please refer to About this release and Methodology for more details relating to the following points.

Differences in services provided by the CLCs 

CLCs around the country provide a diverse range of services. Some centres are generalist and provide legal assistance to those living in a defined geographic area. Others specialise in providing services to particular groups, such as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander women and children, or people with a disability; or services in a particular field, such as human rights, social security, tenancy or animal rights. 

Further, there are likely some differences in how the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) and National Legal Assistance Data Standards Manual (DSM) counting rules are interpreted and applied by CLCs when recording data about services and clients. 

As such, there are differences across CLCs in the service activities being reported in this publication. 

CLCs represented in the national statistics

Under the NLAP, data is provided by CLCs that receive Commonwealth NLAP funding and use the Community Legal Assistance Service System (CLASS) for data reporting. Based on this, there are many CLCs that are not represented in this publication.

For example, around one-third of CLCs in Victoria that provide NLAP funded services do not use CLASS for data reporting, and therefore are not included in the national CLC statistics in this publication.

In contrast, almost all CLCs in Queensland use CLASS and therefore the services they provide using NLAP funding will be included in these national statistics.

Comparability of CLC data with other parts of the legal assistance service sector

There are various differences in terms of the services and operations of the CLCs (as compared to the LACs and ATSILSs), such as: 

• The profile of services delivered by CLCs
• The way in which the CLCs are funded
• Interpretation and application of the NLAP and DSM counting rules, with regard to recording data about services and clients. 

As such, cross-sector comparison of the results presented in this publication should be avoided. 

National summary

Services

During 2022-23, there were 200,660 legal services completed by CLCs nationally, of which: 

• 68% were legal advice services (135,526 services) 
• 14% were legal task services (27,198 services)
• 7% were duty lawyer services (14,483 services)
• 6% were representation services (12,271 services). 

Clients

During 2022-23, there were 115,863 clients who received a completed service from a CLC nationally, of which:

• 65% were female (74,837 clients)
• 32% were male (36,909 clients)
• 9% (9,875 clients) identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

Most clients were aged:

• 35 to 49 years (35% or 40,073 clients)
• 25 to 34 years (21% or 24,465 clients)
• 50 to 64 years (20% or 23,137 clients).

Client profile for each service type

Legal advice services

During 2022-23, the majority of clients (83% or 96,129 clients) received a legal advice service. Of these:

• 65% were female (62,609 clients)
• 32% were male (30,394 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (35% or 33,764 clients)
• 23% (22,010 clients) received more than one legal advice service.

Legal task services

During 2022-23, there were 16,898 clients (15%) who received a legal task service. Of these:

• 65% were female (10,938 clients)
• 32% were male (5,467 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (33% or 5,636 clients)
• 27% (4,604 clients) received more than one legal task service.

Duty lawyer services 

During 2022-23, there were 11,274 clients (10%) who received a duty lawyer service. Of these:

• 61% were female (6,886 clients)
• 34% were male (3,822 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (35% or 3,963 clients)
• 20% (2,230 clients) received more than one duty lawyer service. 

Representation services 

During 2022-23, there were 9,965 clients (9%) who received a completed representation service. Of these:

• 64% were female (6,359 clients)
• 34% were male (3,350 clients)
• The most common age group was 35 to 49 years (31% or 3,090 clients)
• 15% (1,447 clients) received more than one completed representation service.