Delivering professional, and community responsive

Legal services

Working with community, government and non government stakeholders.

to enhance service delivery

Criminal, Family and Civil Law.

ThroughCare, Community Legal Education,

Coronial & Public Sector Monitoring & 24/7 assistance at police stations.

Indigenous Legal Assistance

Our legal assistance services provided in criminal, civil and family law matters involve:

Advice Matters – Legal advice or information that is not provided as part of Duty or Casework Matters. This includes the provision of a free-call telephone advice service, referrals, preliminary assistance in the writing of short letters and the completion of forms;
Duty Matters – Attendance at court and receipt of initial instructions by a lawyer. This includes all mentions, pleas, applications including for bail, or adjournments performed on a duty lawyer basis, or where the matter is completed on the same day; and
Casework Matters – Ongoing legal services in relation to a particular legal problem, such as conducting a defended hearing. It is not necessary that the matter involve litigation. Casework Matters may also include the provision of detailed legal advice or the negotiation of a claim for or against the client.

ATSILS also provides 24 hour legal representation and advice on criminal matters for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Criminal Law

CRIMINAL LAW

We are one of Queensland’s largest criminal law practices, with 25 offices spread across the State. Our Criminal Law Practice employs highly experienced legal practitioners who represent both adult and juvenile clients across all of the various court jurisdictions (Magistrates Court through to the Supreme Court). Services range from straight forward duty lawyer sentencing matters in the Magistrates Court to complex trials in the Supreme Court.

Please note: Eligibility for casework legal assistance is dependent on a “means test” and a “merit test”.

Civil Law

CIVIL LAW

Our Civil Law Practice provides a highly diverse range of services – with many regional variations (for example, depending upon what other specialist service providers might also be available in the region in question). Indeed, the range of services is so wide, that we would encourage potential clients to contact their local office of our Organisation to discuss their options with our staff. Assistance can vary from “simple” legal advice through to minor assistances (such as filling in forms or drafting letters) to casework assistance (such as helping draft wills or legal representation at contested hearings).

Please note: Eligibility for casework legal assistance is dependent on a “means test” and a “merit test”.

Family Law

FAMILY LAW

Our Family Law Practice provides specialist family law services in the areas of child protection, domestic violence and general family law matters. Where possible, we seek to encourage resolution of most family law disputes by agreement between the parties – but will represent clients on contested hearings where such becomes necessary. Much of our work is dedicated to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanded children are not taken away from their parents in those situations where we believe that such is unjustified or not in the interests of the child.

Please note: Eligibility for casework legal assistance is dependent on a “means test” and a “merit test”.

Means Test

With limited resources available and to ensure we direct our services towards applicants in the greatest need of assistance, all applications for Indigenous legal services involving casework are subject to means and merit tests. Depending upon the results of these tests, applicants will fall into one of three categories:

Applicants eligible to receive free legal assistance.
Applicants eligible to receive legal assistance subject to payment of contributions (on a sliding scale) towards the cost of assistance.
Applicants not eligible to receive legal aid assistance

An applicant automatically satisfies the means test if one of the following applies:

They are under the age of 18.
Their main source of income comes from CDEP participant wages or Centrelink benefits.
Their gross personal income is less than $52,000 per annum.

Note: Means testing only applies to Representation Services.

News and Events

Community Legal Education – QATSICPP Forum CairnsFebruary 2, 2023 - 5:13 pm
On 1 February, Julie Kefford and Pree Sharma attended the Youth Justice Family Led Decision Making Community of Practice hosted by QATSICPP which is a monthly forum where 4 community-controlled organisations from across Queensland come together to reflect on program implementation and practice, identify shared issues, share successes and help QATSICPP identify what needs to […]
ATSILS Adopts New BrandingFebruary 1, 2023 - 12:19 pm
Today, 1st February 2023, ATSILS officially adopts its new branding. Our staff have been working tirelessly over the past month to transition all of our communication resources to the new branding and from this date forward we will operate under a new logo and visual identity. Our 50th anniversary of service was seen as […]

ATSILS on Twitter

ATSILS

@atsils

Our CLE staff attended the Youth Justice - Family Led Decision Making Community of Practice forum hosted by @QATSICPP_2018 in Cairns. The team delivered a CLE pres on youth justice issues (police interactions, understanding rights & diversion options).

atsils.org.au/commun… pic.twitter.com/e2BC…

7:21 am · February 2, 2023 ·

Retweeted by ATSILS

Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council

@qldsac

As youth crime continues to make headlines, we thought it would be helpful to dispel a few myths about sentencing children. Myth 1 - Judges and Magistrates are too lenient on children. 1/6

7:20 am · February 2, 2023 ·

Retweeted by ATSILS

ATSILS

@atsils

7:17 am · February 2, 2023

ATSILS

@atsils

ATSILS (QLD) has officially adopted a new brand &
from today we will operate under a new logo and visual identity.

Our new brand was developed to honour our history & mark the next chapter of advancing the legal and human rights of our clients.

More: atsils.org.au/atsils… pic.twitter.com/YwE9…

7:17 am · February 1, 2023

ATSILS

@atsils

ATSILS is adopting new branding to mark 50 years of service to communities in Queensland.

Our new brand honours the past, connects deeply with communities & aligns with our ongoing mission to advance the legal & human rights of our clients.

Read More:
atsils.org.au/news/ pic.twitter.com/BwEy…

11:33 am · January 31, 2023 ·

Retweeted by ATSILS

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