Legal Aid NSW funds private lawyers to act for eligible clients. To act under a grant, a lawyer must be appointed to the relevant Legal Aid NSW panel.
General panels
- Criminal law
- Family law
- Civil law
- Care and protection
Specialist panels
- Child crime
- Mental health
- Domestic violence
Applying for legal aid
Legal Aid NSW decides who receives a grant. It generally applies a means test (your income and assets), a merit test (whether your case has reasonable prospects or is worth funding) and a jurisdiction test (whether the type of matter is covered). Some matters, such as some criminal and care matters, have different rules.
Contact us as soon as you can. We can assess your situation, help you apply for a grant and, where the matter is urgent, take the first steps while the application is considered.