Legal help

Find out why we may refer you to get legal advice and where to find help.

On this page:

Why we may refer you to get legal advice

Sometimes we may refer you to seek legal advice.

This can be because your issue is:

  • outside of our scope of advice and there is no other appropriate government agency to refer you to
  • about taking legal action not covered by our Compliance and Enforcement policy
  • best handled by legal advice because of the technical or complex nature of your enquiry.

For information about what we can and can’t help you with, visit our Contact us page.

There may be costs associated with seeking legal advice or making an application to a court. Some organisations provide free or low-cost legal advice.

Legal centres, unions and employer associations

Legal aid and community legal centres

Legal aid organisations and community legal centres may provide limited free and independent legal advice.

Generally, they prioritise people experiencing disadvantage and people with special needs.

Some organisations focus on supporting people in a local area or a particular demographic, such as young workers.

We may refer you to a specific organisation based on your circumstances.

You can also find a community legal service near you at Community Legal Centres Australia.

Workplace Advice Service

The Fair Work Commission’s (the Commission) Workplace Advice Service connects eligible employees and employers with free legal help. The service is available for employment issues that involve:

  • dismissal
  • general protections
  • bullying at work
  • sexual harassment at work.

Find more information on the Commission’s Legal advice from the Workplace Advice Service page.

Unions and registered organisations

Unions are organisations that represent the interests of workers in a particular industry or occupation.

Unions can help their members in relation to workplace issues, including representation, dispute resolution and legal advice. You can learn more about what unions can help with at our page on the role of unions.

Employees can find their relevant union at Australian Unions – Which is the union for you?

A list of registered employee associations is available on the Commission’s Find a registered organisation page.

Employer associations

Employer associations are organisations that represent the interests of businesses and employers in a particular industry or sector.

Employer associations often provide industry best practice tips and legal advice.

A list of registered employer associations is available on the Commission’s Find a registered organisation page.

Law societies and institutes

Law societies and institutes have legal referral services to help find lawyers specialising in certain areas of law.

We may refer you to the law society or institute in your state or territory:

Other legal organisations

Many organisations play a part in Australia's legal system.

These organisations will not be able to represent you on a particular matter.

Legislation and court judgments

Australasian Legal Information Institute provides access to legislation and court judgments as well as summaries on the law.

Federal Register of Legislation provides online copies of Commonwealth legislation and related documents.

Courts

The Federal Court of Australia has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes, along with some criminal matters.

The High Court of Australia is the highest court in Australia. It decides cases of federal significance and hears appeals from federal, state and territory courts.

We are not affiliated with, and do not endorse, any commercial providers of advisory or workplace relations services. Read our full statement on private firms and workplace advisory services for more information.

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