Legal Laneway Breakfasts kick off a statewide start to the legal year

The 2026 Legal Laneway Breakfast series has once again opened Victoria’s legal year with energy and insight, bringing together the justice community from across the state.

12 February 2026

Legal sector

The 2026 Legal Laneway Breakfast series has once again opened Victoria’s legal year with energy and insight, bringing together the justice community from across the state.

What began as a single Melbourne gathering more than two decades ago has now grown into a statewide celebration spanning the CBD, Ballarat, Horsham and Shepparton. The sunrise events provide a friendly and informal way to strengthen professional connections across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

In Melbourne, more than 300 people attended the CBD event, one of the largest turnouts in the breakfast’s 23-year history. Welcoming guests to Hardware Lane, Executive Director Lynne Haultain reflected on the growth of the event over two decades and reminded the audience that the breakfast remains an opportunity to meet and greet and consider the year ahead.

A large crowd gathers outdoors at an event, standing closely together in conversation. Many people wear business or smart‑casual clothing with visible name tags. The scene is busy, with individuals chatting in small groups. The background shows more attendees filling the space, creating a lively, social atmosphere.

Several people stand in a small group during an outdoor event. One person in the centre wears a short‑sleeved, checked shirt. Others hold drinks or food while talking. The setting appears to be an urban laneway with a dark doorway and building façade behind them.

A building on shared foundations

In Melbourne’s Hardware Lane, leaders from across Victoria’s justice system came together for a morning of reflection, connection and local delicacies. The event opened with a powerful Acknowledgement of Country from Tim Goodwin, who reminded attendees of the deep custodianship of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people and the need for Western and Indigenous law to coexist respectfully. His words set a thoughtful tone for the discussions that followed.

VLF Chair Justice Greg Garde AO RFD welcomed senior representatives from courts, tribunals and legal organisations, noting the strong turnout and the value of beginning the legal year in a spirit of collaboration.

Attorney‑General the Hon. Sonya Kilkenny MP, reflected on the impact of recent bushfires and the vital role of legal assistance in supporting affected communities. She highlighted growing pressures on legal need, where cost‑of‑living challenges are escalating everyday problems into crises. Kilkenny also pointed to the potential of AI to improve access to justice when used responsibly, emphasising that genuine progress depends on collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors.

Chief Justice Richard Niall spoke about the importance of public trust and clear communication, while Victorian Legal Services Board CEO and Commissioner Fiona McLeay closed the program by encouraging the profession to stay engaged with ethical practice, wellbeing and emerging resources that support a resilient and principled legal community.

A group of people stand in a laneway near a banner for a law‑related foundation. Individuals wear formal clothing and stand arranged for a photo. Tall city buildings and shopfronts frame the narrow street filled with event attendees. — Tim Goodwin, The Hon. Sonya Kilkenny MP, Justice Greg Garde AOR FD, Lynne Haultain, Chief Justice Richard Niall, Fiona McLeay

A group of people gather and talk at an outdoor event beside a green wall. One person in the centre wears a white shirt and an orange strap across the shoulder, with a visible name tag. Others around them hold cups and engage in conversation in a casual social setting.

A truly statewide program

Beyond the laneway in Melbourne, VLF once again supported Legal Laneway Breakfasts across the regions, delivering local events in Ballarat, Horsham and Shepparton. These gatherings brought together community lawyers, private practitioners, court officers and local leaders to reflect on the year ahead in their own communities. With keynote addresses tailored to regional focus areas such as family violence or bushfire recovery,

With events run in collaboration with local legal services and law societies the Legal Laneway Breakfasts are critical to VLF’s goal of helping create a connected, informed and equitable legal sector. They ensure the start of the legal year is not only marked in the CBD but shared in communities where our research shows legal need is having a dramatic impact on everyday life.

A small group stands outdoors under a sunshade, gathered in conversation. One person holds a tablet or clipboard, while another gestures with a hand raised and sunglasses in the other hand. Trees and bright daylight form the background. The group appears to be engaged in discussion in an open grassy area.

Three people stand together in a bright indoor venue with floor‑to‑ceiling windows. Sunlight creates highlights across the room. One person holds a drink while the group converses. Other event attendees and tables can be seen in the background.

Several small groups speak in a courtyard with a red brick wall. People wear patterned, colourful clothing and carry bags or backpacks. A mix of seating and standing arrangements is visible. The background shows other attendees engaged in conversation.

Looking to the year ahead

The CBD breakfast concluded with an update on VLF’s expanding research, grants and engagement programs which included the VLF’s first $1 million grants round and preparations for Law Week 2026. As Lynne noted, themes of excellence, fairness, service and access ran consistently through each keynote, reinforcing the sector’s collective commitment to a justice system that meets people where they are.

Finding laneways all over the state, the 2026 Legal Laneway Breakfast series has again shown the willingness of Victoria’s legal community to come together and kick off the legal year.