Overview of the Clinic

The Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic (Clinic) is a  project of the Public Interest Law Clearing House (Vic) Inc (PILCH).  It was established in October 2001 to provide free legal assistance to, and advocacy on behalf of, people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

The Clinic aims to use the law to reduce unfair and unjust treatment of homeless people, to construct sustainable pathways out of homelessness, and to promote fundamental human rights.

The Clinic provides civil and administrative legal services at crisis accommodation centres and welfare agencies so as to encourage direct access by clients.  Host agencies include Melbourne Citymission, The Big Issue, St Vincent de Paul Society, the Salvation Army, Anglicare, Urban Seed, Hanover, Vacro, Koonung Mental Health Centre and Homeground Housing Service. 

Services are provided by pro bono lawyers from participating law firms and legal departments, including Allens Arthur Robinson, Blake Dawson, Clayton Utz, Mallesons Stephen Jaques, Minter Ellison, DLA Phillips Fox, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Goldman Sachs JBWere and the National Australia Bank Ltd Legal Department. Each firm is responsible for the provision of services at one or two host agencies on a weekly basis.

In addition to providing legal services, the Clinic seeks to identify the range of legal issues facing homeless people, identify gaps in the delivery of services, and conduct advocacy regarding relevant law reform and social policy issues.

Consumer Advisory Group

The Clinic also consults with a Consumer Advisory Group made up of people who have experienced homelessness or who are currently homeless.

The Consumer Advisory Group was established in 2006 and in the past 12 months has been significantly involved in community education, law reform, shaping public policy and training volunteer lawyers. Recent activities and achievements have included:

• Major report to the United Nations on the current protection of the human right to housing in Australia;
• Homelessness Consumer Forum attended by over 60 consumers and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing;
• State Election Voting Campaign to encourage people experiencing homelessness to vote;
• Collaborated in a photo exhibition project titled No Forwarding Address: Homelessness Through Our Eyes,  held in National Homeless Week, August 2007. The Exhibition, held in Federation Square sought to draw community and political attention to homelessness and the critical lack of affordable housing; and
• Training for volunteer lawyers around homelessness and the protection of human rights.

The Consumer Advisory Group meets monthly and provides guidance and advice to the Clinic. This advice helps the Clinic improve the quality and accessibility of its legal services and its policy, education and community development activities.

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness and need free legal assistance, please click here.