inTouch Legal Centre

inTouch has its own community legal centre, and provides existing clients with legal and migration assistance.

inTouch Community Legal Centre

inTouch’s Legal Centre was established in 2012, in recognition of the multiple barriers that many migrant and refugee women experience when trying to access the justice system. We provide legal advice and assistance to clients who are already receiving support through inTouch’s case managers and are the first multidisciplinary practice in Australia to provide this type of inclusive service response.

This end-to-end support model also allows inTouch to provide a comprehensive continuum of service – the client’s file and personal circumstances (including instances of violence) are managed privately and concurrently by practitioners, avoiding recurrences of trauma.

Legal Centre clients are required to go through the inTouch intake process and case management services before they can be referred to the inTouch Women’s Legal Centre. We do not accept direct referrals for legal advice and representation, however we do provide secondary consultations to the sector for legal and migration issues. More information about the Legal Centre’s eligibility criteria and our referral process here.

Secondary Consultations with our Legal Centre

For a secondary consultation in relation to legal issues, please click here.  For a secondary consultation in relation to migration issues, please click here.

Our services include: 

  • Protection from family violence – intervention orders  
  • Family law – dispute resolution including parenting matters
  • Small property settlements and financial matters  
  • Immigration and Visa assistance  
  • Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal (VOCAT) applications
  • Divorce Clinics

Multicultural women using post-it's in a meeting

inTouch’s legal team also supports staff and women accessing hospital services through our Health Justice Partnerships (HJP) with Monash and Your Community Health. This method of embedding legal expertise within a healthcare setting allows professionals to engage with people who might not know they need or qualify for legal assistance. inTouch’s HJP provides a direct referral pathway for free legal advice for migrant and refugee women experiencing family violence, in addition to secondary consultations for staff. 

Resources

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Divorce Checklist

Assistance with divorce applications and proceedings.

What is the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)?

The Financial Assistance Scheme, or FAS, can assist you to recover from violence through financial assistance for related costs.

The Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS): Documents you might need

A guide to the documents that a victim-survivor of family violence may need when applying for the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS).

Understanding Coercive Control- Simple English Guide for Migrant and Refugee Women

Explaining coercive control in simple English for migrant and refugee women experiencing family violence.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

inTouch Women’s Legal Centre Information and Referral Guide

About our Legal Centre, what we do, who we support, and our referral process.

Legal Professionals: Good Practice When Working with Clients from Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds

Tips for working with interpreters and integrating culturally tailored, intersectional methods and reflections into your legal practice.

inTouch Women’s Legal Centre Principles for Service and Guidelines

Who we help and how we prioritise our clients and services.

Understanding Coercive Control- Comprehensive Guide for Family Violence Service Providers

A guide for professionals supporting migrant and refugee victim-survivors of family violence. Includes strategies for identifying coercive control, culturally sensitive intervention, tools for supporting women effectively, and information on the specific expressions of coercive control in these communities. 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

inTouch & National Women’s Safety Alliance Submission in Response to: Enhancing Civil Protections and Remedies for Forced Marriage – Consultation Paper

inTouch and NWSA welcome the opportunity to provide a submission to the AustralianGovernment Attorney-General’s Department Consultation Paper (July 2024) on Enhancing CivilProtections and Remedies for Forced Marriage.

Submission to the inquiry into family violence orders 

inTouch welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs 

Submission to the justice response to sexual violence

inTouch welcomes the opportunity to respond to the sexual violence inquiry

Submission in response to the not-for-profit sector development blueprint issues paper

inTouch welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the Blueprint Expert Reference Group’s Not-for-profit Sector Development Blueprint Issues Paper

Consultation paper response – family law amendment bill (no. 2) 2023

inTouch and Harmony Alliance welcome the opportunity to provide a response to the Consultation Paper – Family Law Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2023.

Submission to the independent review of the national legal assistance partnership

inTouch welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Independent Review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) in response to the NLAP Review Issues Paper.

inTouch Legal Centre Resources

– inTouch Legal Centre Information and Referral Guide
– inTouch Legal Centre Principles for Service and Guidelines
– What is VOCAT?
– VOCAT Checklist

Submissions and Papers

– inTouch Submission to the Independent Review of the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP)
– inTouch and Harmony Alliance Response to Consultation Paper on the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
– inTouch Submission in Response to the Not-for-Profit Sector Development Blueprint Issues Paper

Contact the inTouch Legal Centre

For a secondary consultation in relation to legal issues, please click here.
For a secondary consultation in relation to migration issues, please click here.

For general enquiries, or if you are a law student looking to volunteer, please send a cover letter and resume to legal@intouch.org.au

How You Can Get Support From Women’s Legal Centre

Clients are required to go through the inTouch Intake process and Case Management service before they can get the support service from the Women’s Legal Centre.
Women’s Legal Centre does not accept direct request for legal advice and representation.

Contact Women’s Legal Centre

For general inquiries, please contact inTouch Women’s Legal Centre at legal@intouch.org.au

If you’re unsure about your eligibility or have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a confidential discussion about your situation.

Find out about us

Who we are

Subscribe to our e-newsletter

Accessibility Tools