The Women's Legal Centre is a specialist legal service for women in the ACT. 
 
We provide free legal assistance in relation to domestic and family violence, separation and family breakdown, care and protection, problems at work, discrimination, and migration. The Centre also includes a specialist program for First Nations women, Mulleun Mura.  
 
The Centre provides legal services within a multi-disciplinary and trauma-informed practice model and works in partnership with health and community services in Canberra to ensure the most vulnerable women are able to access specialist legal assistance.  
 
We are a feminist service with a strong values base. 
 
This means we understand the legal issues facing women and their experience of the legal system within a broader analysis of systemic gender inequality. We are committed to providing individual services whilst also working towards deeper legal and cultural change to redress power imbalances and address violence and gender inequality. 

How your donation will help

The Centre is raising funds for our legal disbursements fund.  
 
Legal disbursements are costs for services required in connection with a legal matter. This could include fees to prepare reports, valuations, court filing and hearing fees and fees for the service of court documents such as subpoenas. It also includes barristers’ fees to represent women whose matters proceed to court. 
 
The Centre provides services to women who are financially disadvantaged and cannot afford private representation. The additional costs of running a complex matter are also out of their reach and the Centre's funding is not enough to cover these costs. 
 
*$50 pays for costs to copy original subpoenaed material. 
*$150 pays for a superannuation valuation to support the division of super following separation. 
*$310 pays for one women's divorce filing fee. 
*$500 pays for an immigration medical report required for women assisted through our migration practice. 
*$1,850 pays for a barrister to represent our client in a half-day hearing (reduced rate for the Centre).