Legal information for young people
Find out where you can go to get free legal advice, assistance and information relevant to young people.
Day-to-day life can bring out a lot of legal problems which can be frightening and stressful for young people. It is important that you know your rights, and where you can get help if you need it.
Free legal advice and assistance
Youth Legal Service
The Youth Legal Service gives free legal information, advice and assistance to young people 25 years and younger across NSW. They give advice about legal issues including employment, fines and debt, criminal charges, consumer law, complaints about the police and problems at home.
Legal Aid NSW
Legal Aid NSW provides legal information to anyone with a legal problem in NSW through their legal information and referral service, LawAccess NSW. You can contact LawAccess by using their chat service or by calling 1300 888 529. They are open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
If you need a lawyer and don’t have enough money to pay, you may be able to get help from a Legal Aid NSW lawyer. LawAccess NSW can tell you if you are eligible and can book an appointment for you to speak with a lawyer.
Legal Aid NSW lawyers can support you with criminal matters involving the police, family matters involving children or a relationship breakdown, or civil matters where you are having trouble with a fundamental need like housing, income support or access to health and disability supports.
The Children's Legal Service is a specialist unit of Legal Aid NSW helping children and young people under 18 who are involved in criminal cases in the Children's Courts.
Shopfront Youth Legal Centre
The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre provides free legal assistance for homeless and disadvantaged young people aged 25 and under.
Youth Law Australia
Youth Law Australia provides free, confidential legal information & help for young people under 25.
Legal information
- What are my legal rights? A handbook for young people - this booklet looks at some of the common day-to-day (civil law) problems and talks about your rights when dealing with other people or organisations and what you can do to resolve issues like unpaid fines, problems with your landlord, debt and more.
- Get street smart: Under 18s: know your legal rights - find out what your rights are when you’re dealing with police on the streets in NSW.
- Ripped off: your rights about unpaid wages and entitlements at work - find out what it means to be an employee and where to get help if you feel you have been wronged by your employer.
- Car accidents - information about what to do if you have been in a car accident.
- Youth Law Australia factsheets - find information on lots of topics from alcohol to voting, graffiti to tattoos and contracts to parties.
- Tenants' Union factsheets - find factsheets and sample letters about tenancy.