Our Research Principles
Our research focuses on the legal and related needs of Victorians.
Impact
We undertake useful research to support improved civil legal services for Victorians.
Rigour
We use sound methodologies and rely on clear evidence for any conclusions.
Collaboration
We work in a collaborative way with the legal sector, civil society and others in the interests of access to justice for Victorians.
Communication
We make our reports publicly available and engage with the sector on research activity.
Independence
We maintain our independence.
Our research plan
Our research divided into four streams, which each produce complementary outcomes.
Mapping justice
Looking at the availability and content of institutional data across a broad range of civil justice bodies, to understand how legal matters progress, see possible issues with legal processes and identify barriers to access to justice.
Surveying legal literacy
Discovering what Victorians know about their justice system, its institutions and the role they see it play in their lives.
Researching programs and interventions
Taking a rigorous empirical approach to evaluate the need for different legal services, as well as their processes, impacts and outcomes, so that we can figure out 'what works.'
Coordinating and sharing research
Connecting the justice, community and academic sectors to enable knowledge sharing, encourage collaboration, extend the reach of our work and help us to learn from the experience of local and international experts.
Research projects
Our projects cover institutional and general public perspectives.
A Victoria-wide survey to understand how people see, understand and engage with the law.
Exploring targeted and effective people-centred services that are meeting legal needs across the Victorian justice and legal assistance sector.
Research News
Research publications
Targeted and tailored engagement is necessary to increase awareness of young people's everyday justiciable problems and available legal help.
For young people, links between employment problems and mental health are particularly strong, with psychological distress a common consequence.
Psychological distress and mental illness have been shown to be among the factors most powerfully associated with problems arising in people’s lives that raise legal issues.
Single parents have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to experiencing multiple substantial legal problems.
Explore the knowledge, skills and attributes that are required to effectively understand and use the law.
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Examining the factors that influence the pricing of legal services, how practitioners communicate costs, and how they affect the lawyer-client relationship.
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Showcasing access to justice and legal need development
Connecting the justice, community and academic sectors around legal research and evaluation related to access to justice.
Informing policy and practice
Drawing on our research, we engage with decision makers across the justice and community sectors to share our understanding of the legal experience, needs and capability.
Legal capability and relevant measures
Our legal capability measures that can be used to form policy insights is central to our research.
The Research Team
Victoria Law Foundation's highly-skilled research team have many years of experience in legal research.
Legal problems and health issues: insights from the PULS
People with physical and mental health issues fare badly at law. Responding to the evidence through effective policy and practices could make a significant difference to many people.