Victoria Legal Aid Handbook for Lawyers

Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) may provide a grant of legal assistance to:

  • appeal a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) decision,

or

  • judicially review a decision of a public authority (including on Charter compliance grounds),

If the decision under challenge relates to VLA’s civil practice areas, including Residential Tenancy, Mental Health and Disability Act, and Equal Opportunity and the matter is of general or systemic importance.

Documentary requirements

Applications under this guideline can only be submitted via the standard grants assessment processExternal Link .

An in-house lawyer or a lawyer on the section 30 referral panel seeking a grant of legal assistance should submit an application via ATLAS External Link for assessment, including all of the following documents:

  • relevant proof of meansExternal Link .
  • documentation that the decision under challenge is one of VLA’s civil practice areas.
  • documentation/legal opinion that the matter is of general or systemic importance.
  • documentation/legal opinion that there is a reasonable chance that the appeal will succeed, and
  • the matter meets the State reasonableness testExternal Link .

Costs payable

Please see Fee Schedule 2, Table BB.

Reviewed 26 April 2023

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