Our history

The ALA started in 1994 when a small group of lawyers decided to pool their knowledge and resources to address the imbalance in power experienced by victims of negligence when facing defendants in civil litigation, such as major corporations, insurers and other financial institutions.

The ALA’s founders realised that working collectively would enable them to advocate more effectively for law reform, and to adopt a strategic approach to protecting the rights of ordinary people against the legal tactics of the state and big corporations.

In 2004, we changed our name to the Australian Lawyers Alliance to reflect our broader vision to advocate for those individuals whose rights had been violated, or were at risk of violation, by advocating for law reform that ensures greater fairness for all.

Our membership has since grown to include academics, students and other professionals, who share an interest in protecting persons whose individual rights have been violated and who advocate for access to justice and law reform that ensures justice for all.

Funding

We receive no government funding.

Our main source of funds is membership fees, with additional income generated by our events, as well as through publications, sponsorship, advertising, donations, investments, and event paper sales.

What we do

We started out with no office, staff, conferences, events or publications.

Today, the ALA advocates for law reform across a broad range of issues at state, territory and federal levels. We regularly provide submissions to parliamentary inquiries and give evidence at public hearings all over the country. We also work with civil society and industry in support of our members' interests.

We also contribute regularly to public commentary and debate in the media, and feature across print, radio, TV and online media.

We host six state and territory conferences annually throughout Australia, a medical law conference and a national conference, all of which provide valuable continuing professional development (CPD) points.

We also publish a bi-monthly legal journal, Precedent, providing commentary and updates on vital areas of law and policy, which is complimentary for our members.