Community Legal Sector Leaders to Convene in Ballarat for Quarterly CEO Forum
The Federation of Community Legal Centres hosted its quarterly CEO forum in Ballarat on Wednesday, bringing together leaders from across Victoria’s community legal sector.
Chief Executive Officers from the state’s 50 place-based and specialist community legal centres gathered to discuss the growing demands on the sector and to collaborate on strategies to strengthen access to justice for Victorians in need.
The meeting was opened by Ballarat and Grampians Community Legal Service (BGCLS) CEO Narelle Laing, who launched the organisation’s 2025–2027 Strategy. The plan outlined BGCLS’s significant growth and service expansion, and the launch featured a compelling case study that showcased how the organisation is changing life stories through better access to justice.
“Demand for legal services has grown rapidly across Victoria over the past five years, with regional communities such as Ballarat, Horsham, and the Grampians area experiencing this surge most acutely. Ballarat and Grampians Community Legal Service’s (BGCLS) strategy for 2025-27 presents an ambitious vision for the future, demonstrating the truly transformative value of community legal services, and outlining ways in which more people’s legal needs can be met. We look forward to supporting BGCLS to execute this impressive strategy.”
Louisa Gibbs
"The launch of our new strategy reflected the incredible progress we’ve made and the growing need for legal support in our region. We are proud to be part of a sector that drives real change in people’s lives."
Narelle Laing
Community legal centres continue to play a vital role in delivering free, high-quality legal information, advice, representation, casework, and education to people facing disadvantage—including those impacted by financial hardship, family violence, homelessness, or discrimination.
In the past year, Victoria’s community legal centres delivered over 100,000 legal services, with more than 500,000 Victorians accessing online self-help legal tools. These centres not only responded to immediate legal needs but also informed powerful advocacy for long-term systemic reform.
