The ninth National Access to Justice and Pro Bono Conference was held in Melbourne on 29-31 October 2025, co-hosted by the Australian Pro Bono Centre, the Law Council of Australia, and the Law Institute of Victoria.
More than 500 representatives from private practice, Community Legal Centres, Legal Aid Commissions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services, and Family Violence Prevention Legal Services met to discuss a broad range of issues affecting the delivery of legal assistance.
Adequate funding for legal assistance was high on the agenda, particularly recognising that, nationally, 70% of legal aid work is delivered by private practitioners, who provide casework for about one third of the rate for comparable work.
Delegates heard that the poor rates paid and the fact that some work is unpaid make it extremely difficult for private practices to continue to support access to justice, pay their staff and keep their doors open. The workforce crisis predicted by the Productivity Commission in 2014 has now arrived.
The Conference also heard from delegates about programs to address gender-based and family violence, improve meeting the legal needs of young people, combat elder abuse, support regional and remote communities, and address the legal needs of First Nations peoples and LGBTQIA+ communities.