Get legal help
The Veterans’ Legal Service is Legal Aid ACT’s specialist service for current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families. We also help with members of the various Australian police forces who have served overseas on peace-keeping missions.
We are independent of all government agencies including the ADF, the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
We are a free and confidential legal service. This means we won’t do anything without your consent, and we will not tell anyone you contacted us without your permission.
Legal advice to veterans is not means tested.
What we help with
We can help with legal problems related to ADF members, including:
veteran entitlements and compensation
Veterans’ Review Board appeals
retrospective discharges.
We can help by:
assisting you in drafting and submitting a DVA claim
monitoring your DVA claim
assessing a DVA decision sent to a veteran or their family
drafting a request to review a DVA decision to be submitted to the Veteran Review Board (VRB)
representing you at the Administrative Review Tribunal or higher courts
referring you to other services.
We can also assist veterans with other legal problems such as family law, criminal law, and civil law.
What we do not help with
We do not help with:
wills and probate.
We may be able to refer you to other services that assist with these.
Contact us
Phone: 1300 654 314
- Monday to Thursdays 8.30am to 7pm
- Fridays 8.30am to 5pm
Email: davls@legalaidact.org.au
Prepare for your appointment with us
Find out how you can prepare for an appointment with us
Get help from other services
Public Trustee and Guardian (PTG)
The PTG can refer you to services to prepare wills, powers of attorney and trusts. You can also appoint the PTG as your executor and attorney.
Phone: (02) 6207 9800
Veterans’ Support Centre Belconnen
The Veterans' Support Centre Belconnen can help veterans and their families with claims against DVA and service-related welfare issues.
Phone: (02) 6255 1599
Veterans' Support Centre Woden
The Veterans' Support Centre Woden is a sub-branch of Woden Valley RSL. The service can help veterans and their families with claims against DVA and service-related welfare issues.
Phone: (02) 6285 1931