Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) provides free legal assistance to people who live, work and study in Melbourne’s east. ECLC actively engages in law reform, and undertakes community development to educate and empower the community.
ECLC’s strategic plans set the priorities and the focus for the years ahead to help employees and other stakeholders work toward common goals that will ensure ECLC continues to deliver essential free legal and other services to communities in Melbourne’s east.
ECLC’s Code of Conduct ensures and encourages the highest qualities of integrity and behaviour across the organisation. It applies to all members, volunteers, board members and staff of ECLC.
ECLC’s legal programs provide advice, advocacy and support to people on specific legal matters, such as elder abuse, family violence and issues experienced by students and graduates.
ECLC works with communities and community members living in Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges and provides free legal and other services to people living in this region from three office locations and other outreach locations.
ECLC mostly provides legal services to people living in the local government areas of Boroondara, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse and the Yarra Ranges.
Become a volunteer and join the ECLC team. The very generous assistance and time given by all of ECLC’s volunteers enable it to provide the range of free essential legal and other services needed by communities in the eastern region of Melbourne.
Become a member of ECLC which is a community-based organisation, with a strong and active membership base. People who live, work or study in ECLC’s catchment area are eligible to apply for membership.
Make a tax-deductible donation using a secure online portal to help ECLC continue to provide essential free legal and other services to communities in the eastern region of Melbourne.
Tell ECLC how satisfied you are with its services by completing its client satisfaction survey. The survey has 15 questions which will take you about 10 minutes to complete. Your response is confidential and will not affect your right to use ECLC services.
Client stories are real stories that show others how ECLC helps its clients. All client stories are anonymous and have no identifying information. Names and details have been changed to protect client confidentiality.
August 4, 2026 Upper Yarra Star Mail 10/07/2026 By Callum Ludwig There will be eastern expertise on the new board of Respect Victoria following the appointment of Michael Smith. Mr Smith is ...
November 20, 2025 Local legal support centre “disappointed” with proposed harsher penalties for children If passed, reforms will see children begin their time behind bars in youth detention ...
October 28, 2025 In a historic moment for Australia, the Statewide Treaty Bill was introduced to the Victorian Parliament on 9 September 2025. If it passes both Houses of Parliament, it will ...
June 25, 2025 By Callum Ludwig 20/06/2025 With family and domestic violence continuing to be a major issue throughout Australia, it’s important to shine a light on different avenues to ...
June 25, 2025 By Anthony Caggiano June 3 2025 – 5:01pm Watching adult children push their elderly parents to sign new wills didn’t sit well with lawyer Paul Were. He now devotes ...
June 25, 2025 ECLC’s Managing Lawyer – Elder Abuse, Paul Were was interviewed by Robert Arthur on Radio Eastern FM (tag) this week in acknowledgement of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. ...
June 25, 2025 On 10 June 2025, ECLC had the opportunity to join Nigel Loveday on Radio Eastern FM and shine a spotlight on #BoroniaVoices and the launch of our new community recipe book, ...
April 28, 2025 The fraud began when Ray Baird, then 65, asked his son Peter for help dealing with the bank. In the years that followed, Peter gained access to his dad’s bank accounts, ...
October 29, 2024 26/10/2024 By Callum Ludwig Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) and Disaster Legal Help Victoria are bringing a free webinar and event to Warburton with the aim of helping ...
September 17, 2024 13/09/2024 By Mikayla van Loon ECLC chief executive officer Michael Smith with Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC at the ECLCs 50th birthday celebration in May. (Supplied) An ...