LawHelp

LawHelp is a referral service that helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations:

• interpret and comply with laws
• manage the legal side of registration and many other legal issues.

Eligibility to use LawHelp

LawHelp can refer you for free legal help if the corporation is:

• seeking help to register or transfer its incorporation to the CATSI Act
• a not-for-profit Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander corporation already registered under the CATSI Act.

What LawHelp can help with

If you’re registering with or transferring to the CATSI Act, you can apply for help with:

• drafting complex rule book provisions
• tax issues with transferring
• amendments to contracts
• changing legal names of assets, for example, land and vehicles
• understanding state or territory legislation your group is registered or incorporated under
• drafting meeting notices or advice to members and staff about the transfer process.

Not-for-profit corporations already registered under the CATSI Act can seek help with:

• laws that the corporation must apply
• contracts, such as drafting, negotiation and management
• employment issues, such as employment contracts, workers’ compensation law, occupational health and safety obligations and how to apply work laws, for example, the Fair Work Act 2009
• basic tax issues, such as registering for an ABN and GST, FBT and PAYG withholding, and assessing whether a corporation should apply for concessional income tax, FBT or GST treatment
• identifying and managing legal risks and developing disclaimers (such as for websites, buildings and publications)
• consumer protection and trade practices issues
• legal issues relating to information and communication technology
• intellectual property (IP) arrangements, such as copyright and moral rights protection and infringement, registration and maintenance of trademarks, business names and domain names, and commercialising a corporation’s IP rights
• real estate and property matters, such as buying, selling, constructing or leasing premises, licences, easements and other planning issues.

What LawHelp cannot help with

LawHelp cannot help corporations with:

• native title – the Commonwealth supports people with native title claims through funded native title representative bodies (NTRBs) and native title service providers (NTSPs)
• legal action in any court or tribunal
• matters that potentially involve a conflict of interest with the Australian Government's or any of its agencies’ interests, such as Commonwealth funding agreements, Indigenous land use agreements, township leases or other contractual arrangements, or any dispute that involves the Australian Government or any of its agencies
• transfers out to a registration under alternative legislation (for example, the Corporations Act).

Sometimes a LawHelp lawyer cannot give advice because of a conflict of interest or other issue.

If ORIC's LawHelp service is unable to assist you, other organisations might be able to. The Australian Pro Bono Centre has links to key Australian state and territory pro bono referral schemes and organisations.

LawHelp is free

There is no charge to apply to LawHelp. 

If you’re referred to a lawyer, their services will be free of charge, or pro bono (volunteer).

You may be asked to contribute to some expenses that the lawyer incurs, such as:

• filing fees for documents
• large amounts of photocopying
• costs of interpreters or travel. 

They’ll discuss any proposed charges with you beforehand.