A new project led by La Trobe Law School is seeking to implement and evaluate the impact of trauma-informed legal training in Australia.
“While trauma-informed approaches are gaining recognition in the health and education sectors, their application within legal services remains underexplored,” says lead researcher, Professor Chris Maylea.
“Many legal aid clients have experienced severe trauma, and traditional legal practices often fail to account for this. Unfortunately, this can lead to re-traumatisation and disengagement from the legal process.”
“This is particularly concerning given the high prevalence of trauma among disadvantaged populations including survivors of family violence, First Nations communities and individuals with mental health challenges.”
To address the need for more trauma-informed legal practices, and the challenges faced by legal aid clients, Professor Maylea and his team have developed the Supporting Trauma-Informed Legal Services (STILS) project in partnership with National Legal Aid.
“As part of the STILS project, we have worked with National Legal Aid to help design the With You training program and the Trauma-Informed Organisational Toolkit, which both support trauma informed, rights-based legal services.”
Training will be implemented in a groundbreaking partnership with Legal Aid NT, Victoria Legal Aid and Legal Aid NSW in Criminal, Civil and Family Law practice areas.
“So far, the project is contributing to a growing body of evidence on how trauma-informed practices can improve client outcomes, enhance staff wellbeing and reduce re-traumatisation,” he says.
Jennifer Chen, With You Project Manager, says the partnership has significant implications.
“This research can have implications for trauma-informed services for both clients experiencing marginalisation, and for staff working in family, criminal and civil legal practice. A partnership across this scale between universities and Legal Aid Commissions in NSW, Victoria and Northern Territory, represents an extraordinary collaboration.”
Professor Maylea agrees that the implications of the project are far-reaching, with the potential to shape future legal practice for Australians experiencing marginalisation.
“For clients, trauma-informed practices foster a more supportive and respectful legal process, enhancing trust and engagement while improving legal outcomes. For legal professionals, the project offers tools and training to mitigate the risks of vicarious trauma and create healthier workplace environments.”
“It also has the potential to drive the adoption of trauma-informed approaches, influencing access to justice and cultural sensitivity in legal practices across Australia and beyond.”
