Top End Women's Legal Service Inc.

Established in 1996 following the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Inquiry into Equality before the Law, TEWLS is a not for profit specialist women’s legal service providing free legal services for women in the Top End of the Northern Territory. Our purpose is to advocate to achieve justice for women, to promote women’s human rights, and to redress inequalities experienced by women.

We are funded by the Commonwealth Department’s of the Attorney General and Prime Minister and Cabinet, with additional contributions received from the Northern Territory Government and via pro bono partnerships. We provide high quality, responsive and culturally appropriate legal advice, casework and representation, community legal education, and advocacy in the areas of civil and family law to women living in the Greater Darwin region. TEWLS is able to provide free legal advice to all women, or persons identifying as women, regardless of their circumstances.

We provide a vital role for women in the Top End. At an individual level, the service responds to and facilitates women’s experiences and realities on a personal basis, with specialist holistic information, referral, advice, casework and community legal education services. At a systemic level, client’s collective experiences establish a salient foundation and platform for informed service advocacy and systemic improvement via law reform submissions.