Aboriginal Legal Service About
The Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) opened their doors in 1970 in Redfern as the first Aboriginal Legal Service in Australia, and the first free legal assistance service in the country.
After colonial dispossession, new laws were imposed, and used to rule over Aboriginal communities. The ALS
was founded as a response to this injustice, and in acknowledgement of the importance of Aboriginal people designing and delivering services to their own communities.
ALS operates as a non-government legal service providing culturally appropriate information and referral, and legal advice and court representation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and children across NSW and ACT. ALS has 22 offices and almost 200 staff across NSW and the ACT, with almost 44% of whom are Aboriginal. They employ 91 solicitors, 26 field officers and 83 admin officers in 24 offices and branches across New South Wales and the ACT. Ultimately their mission to getting justice for Aboriginal people and the community.
What kind of work? Areas of practice: - Family law
- Criminal law
- Care and protection law
- Tenancy (ALS run the Western Aboriginal Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service and Greater Sydney Tenants Advice Service)
Type of work done by employees: - Legal advice - Referrals
- Legal representation
- Help with legal documents and applications - Negotiations with landlords
- Law reform and policy work
Location
Across NSW and ACT
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