Adelaide University Law Clinics

We provide legal advice and assist clients to manage their own matters. In this respect, we help clients write letters to other parties, draft documents, research areas of law and provide referrals to other support services. Please note, we are unable to represent clients or appear in Court.

We can provide advice and support in the following areas:

• Centrelink and Government complaints
• Civil claims
• Contract and consumer disputes
• Minor criminal
• Debt
• Domestic violence
• Employment (not unfair dismissal)
• Expiation notices
• Family law
• Fines
• Intervention orders
• Motor vehicle property damage
• NDIS
• Neighbourhood disputes
• Tenancy

We offer appointments in person or via Zoom.

We can provide advice and support in the following areas: 

• Fencing disputes
• Building disputes
• Claims in negligence
• Contractual disputes
• Property
• Debt recovery
• and other types of civil matters.

Our support services include:

• preparing documents
• writing letters
• conducting legal research
• drafting pleadings
• supporting with ‘discovery’
• explaining Court procedures and Alternative Dispute Resolutions methods, such as mediation.

The Magistrates Court Legal Advice Service does not provide support with criminal matters, family law, personal injury and civil disputes in excess of $12,000.

We are unable to act as your legal representative or appear in Court. The Magistrates Court minor civil claims jurisdiction does not allow parties to have legal representation, so you will need to represent yourself in Court. We can, however, support you to be prepared in the lead-up to any Court hearings

We offer appointments in person and online.

When making an appointment, please let us know if you prefer face-to-face or online. We will ask you to provide your full name and contact number or email. All your personal details will be kept confidential.

On the morning of your appointment, we will contact you by phone or email to confirm that you can still attend your appointment. If you booked an online appointment, you will receive an email with a link to the online video conference on the day of your appointment.

A standard appointment will generally take between 45 to 60 minutes. The advice provided will be at no cost, but you will be responsible for any of your own costs including court filing fees, obtaining evidence, and preparing for a hearing. We recommend you bring any documents to your appointment which you consider relevant to your legal issue. For example, where appropriate, documents such as contracts, invoices, image and other court documents will be helpful.

If you have booked a face-to-face appointment, it is best to arrive a few minutes early at the Court building, so that you have sufficient time to go through security and to find the Service at Court Room 4. Go to the Registry of the Magistrates Court or ask the Information Desk for directions. Student Advisors will then take you to an available interview room.

We provide free, confidential legal advice to the community on areas of Equal Opportunity Law including discrimination, harassment and victimisation. 

We assist clients to manage their own case, and can refer them to other agencies who have the capacity to handle more complex matters. We also help draft legal documentation and assist clients to prepare for conciliation and Tribunal hearings.

We provide free, confidential legal advice to the community on a range of matters including: 

• Employment and workplace issues 
• Consumer rights and contract disputes 
• Family law and intervention orders
• Traffic and criminal matters
• Tenancy and neighbourhood disputes