- Chief Executive Officer – Wayne Muir
- Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Annette Vickery
- Chief Financial Officer – Sam Firouzian
- Human Resources Manager – Ari Spierings
- Administration Officer – Lance Zampaglione
- Receptionist – Kayla Ketchell and Michelle O'Neill
- Development Officer – Linda Roberts
- Filing Systems – Teresa Hofilena
- VLA Grants Officer – Jenny Donnet
Legal Practice Unit
Criminal
The unit is managed by our Principal Legal Officer, Jill Prior. VALS Criminal Law solicitors are:
- Alexandra Squarci
- Ali Besiroglu
- Elena Pappas
- Elisa Dickenson
- Karen Chibert
- Katerina Kappos
- Kathryn McGregor
- Laura Heffes
- Martin Ha
- Paul Pitsaras
- Raj Bhattacharya
- Rose Cameron
- Russell Marks
The criminal law para-legals (p/t) are:
- Moricia Vrymoet
- Margrette Le Valle
The Legal Secretaries are:
- Catherine Godony
- Farah Banihali
- Nichola Rose
- Vicki Shaw
Civil Law
- Sophia Blosfelds
Family Law
- Denis Barry
- Leah Tolley
- Rebekah Bessant
Client Service Officer (CSO)
(Head Office: 4 positions, Regions: 7)
The Client Service Officer (CSO) is a unique role that no other legal service provides in Victoria. It is the aim of the CSO to work with community members to assist and support them as they are processed through the criminal justice system.
CSOs are members of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. CSOs often work on the weekend, public holidays and get called in the middle of the night. They also do Prison Support Work as a part of their role at VALS.
There is a Client and Community Services Team Leader based at the head office:
- [Vacant]
Metro CSOs:
- Gary Bamblett
- Samuel Gentile
- Margrette LeValle (p/t)
There is a regional CSO co-ordinator based in North-West Victoria:
- Greg Chandler
Regional CSOs:
- Lyn Morgan (Bairnsdale)
- Danny Ilsley (Ballarat)
- Wayne Bell (Heywood)
- Marty Peterson (Mildura)
- vacant (Morwell)
- Brad Boon (Shepparton)
- Jan Muir (Swan Hill)
There is also a Senior Program Officer who supports clients with complex needs: * Lee-Anne Carter
Contact information for the regional areas can be found here.
CSOs provide:
- Outreach and support;
- Initial information;
- Minor assistance (e.g. helping with phone calls or letters, advocacy to other services);
- Case planning in conjunction with other service providers;
- Community liaison, particularly for discrete communities;
- Referral;
- sit in on interviews with solicitors; and
- attend court.
Community Legal Education (CLE)
The Community Legal Education Program focusses on providing legal information to Victorian aboriginal communities on topics those communities identify as priorities for them. Our program is intended to support and empower individuals to access legal services and supports available to them across a range of issues, and to be confident they understand their rights and responsibilities under the law.
- Community Legal Education Officer – Loretta O'Neill
- Income Management Community Legal Education Officer (Shepparton) – Belinda Briggs