03 9415 9999 03 9415 9999
  • Catholic Clergy Abuse - General
    Catholic Clergy Abuse - General
    Dr Viv Waller has acted in claims against Catholic Clergy since 1995. Waller Legal has recovered compensation for the victims of Catholic Priests such as Frs Baker, Ridsdale, Kevin O'Donnell, D'Cruz, Gannon, Glennon, Gubbels, Frank Klep, Bernard Day & Pidoto.
  • Catholic Clergy Abuse - Melbourne Response
    Catholic Clergy Abuse - Melbourne Response
    Melbourne Response is an alternative dispute resolution process designed to provide redress to victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by priests, religious and lay persons who fall within the jurisdiction of the Melbourne Archdiocese.
  • Civil Litigation
    Civil Litigation
    Civil Litigation in the County And Supreme Courts of Victoria. In our pursuit of justice for sexual assault survivors Waller Legal has run common law cases for compensation against; Individual offenders such as family members, teachers, doctors, psychologists and religious figures;
  • Claims for Indigenous & Travel to Remote Communities
    Claims for Indigenous & Travel to Remote Communities
    If you have been the victim of a crime of violence or sexual assault then please contact our office so we may assess your application and obtain financial assistance, counselling, medical or other expenses that may help with your recovery.
  • Royal Commission & Redress Schemes
    Royal Commission & Redress Schemes
    Established in January 2013, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is investigating how institutions like schools, churches and sporting groups responded to allegations of child sexual abuse.
  • Sentencing Act Applications
    Sentencing Act Applications
    If you have been the victim of a crime for which the offender was convicted please contact our office urgently. Any Sentencing Act Application for compensation must be made within 12 months of the date of the conviction.
  • State Ward Claims
    State Ward Claims
    Dr Viv Waller has acted for former wards of the state of Victoria since 1997 when she commenced group litigation on behalf of many former residents of the Ballarat Orphanage who were abused in care.
  • Victim of Crimes Assistance Tribunal
    Victim of Crimes Assistance Tribunal
    If you have been the victim of a crime of violence or sexual assault then please contact our office so we may assess your application and obtain financial assistance, counselling, medical or other expenses that may help with your recovery.

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Waller Legal is a high profile legal practice dedicated to helping victims of crime, particularly those who have been sexually assaulted. We offer "No Win No Charge" arrangements so lack of funds will never prevent access to justice for meritorious cases.

Waller Legal

in Pursuit of Justice

Waller Legal is a high profile legal practice dedicated to assisting people who have been sexually assaulted and people who were physically, sexually or psychologically abused or neglected when they were a child.

We listen. We act. Our job is to help people to obtain compensation. We also represent witnesses at Royal Commission hearings and we agitate for law reform and a National Redress Scheme.

We look after child abuse survivors. Unlike other firms, we don’t do anything else.

 

"No Win No Charge"

We offer "No Win No Charge" arrangements so lack of funds will never prevent access to justice for good causes.  If we offer a No Win No Charge arrangement we also fund disbursements so that there are no upfront costs.

 

Why Choose Waller Legal?

  • Experienced, independent and fearless legal advice.
  • Dedicated representation of sexual assault survivors since 1995.
  • Strength in numbers.  Chances are, we are already involved in cases against the same offender, institution or defendant.  
  • We have an extensive archive of data that we can use to research and corroborate your case.
  • We are not new to the scene.  We are a well-established legal practice that has been dedicated to this type of work since day one.  Dr Waller has been representing survivors since 1995 – long before the Parliamentary Inquiry or Royal Commission were announced.    
  • Waller Legal was established in 2007 and has always specialised in sexual assault and victims of crime matters.
  • We work closely with victim support groups, psychologists, the Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASAs), mental health care professionals, the broader legal profession and the community.
  • No claim is too big or too small. From a straightforward application to the Victims of Crime Tribunal to complex High Court Appeals, Waller Legal has the relevant experience.
Waller Legal welcomes the announcement of a Federal Redress scheme. At this stage very few details are available, however, we will monitor future developments closely and are working hard to ensure that we are ready to respond once further details are announced.

If you would like to be added to the Waller Legal Redress Register, please don’t hesitate to call us on 03 9415 9999. 

For further details and updates regarding the Federal Redress scheme, please see our Royal Commission and Redress page.  

Waller Legal media release in relation to the recently announced National Redress Scheme

Religious order accused of impeding sex abuse investigation - Charlotte King, aired on AM, 23 December 2015

New report slams Catholic Church's handling of child sex abuse allegations against its clergy - Fran Kelly, aired on Radio National Breakfast, 15 September 2015

In pursuit of justice
In The News
Viv Waller outside County Court Vic
Prosecutor of the Faith
Prosecutor of the Faith
2013-11-06

Melbourne lawyer Vivian Waller has spent nearly two decades chasing justice for hundreds of victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. And it's nowhere near over.

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Choirboy welcomes sentence, says Pell's appeal still hangs over him
Choirboy welcomes sentence, says Pell's appeal still hangs over him
2019-03-13

The man who as a young choirboy was sexually abused by George Pell in Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral says he finds it hard to take any comfort from the cardinal's six-year jail sentence.

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Lawyer Vivian Waller. Photo: Susan Gordon
Church response to sex abuse falls short
Church response to sex abuse falls short
2015-11-23

A body representing the Catholic Church has released guidelines for how the church should respond to civil claims for child sexual abuse, which have received mixed reviews from a sexual abuse survivor and lawyer.

Learn More ›
Anthony and Chrissie Foster preparing for Case Study 16, July 2014
Vale Anthony Foster
Vale Anthony Foster
2017-06-09

Farewell to a courageous campaigner for truth and justice

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'Exemplary' teacher guilty of sex abuse of ex-student still working in classroom
'Exemplary' teacher guilty of sex abuse of ex-student still working in classroom
2017-02-02

Man allowed to teach after pleading guilty to sex abuse of former student

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Media Release: George Pell's victim responds to the cardinal's conviction of child sex abuse
Media Release: George Pell's victim responds to the cardinal's conviction of child sex abuse
2019-02-26

Statement read by Dr Vivian Waller outside the County Court of Victoria

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Testimonials

  • Thank you Vivian, I really appreciate all your help, you have given me a second chance in life.

    RF

  • Many thanks to you and your team for the positive outcome regarding the Anglican Church of Melbourne.

    Although nothing will erase the memories and feelings I still harbour, I at least now feel somewhat satisfied that I have had a win in all of this.

    Mark White

  • Everything is different now.  My journey is over now.

    KF

  • Thank you so much for your efforts in this matter, and your patience with my frustrations as well.

    BQ

  • I would like to thank you for all you have done for me. The steps taken thus far have helped me greatly. Without your help I am not sure where I would be today, on behalf of myself and my family THANKYOU SO MUCH.

    Garry

  • Thank you for what you did, what you said and who you are, your thoughtfulness will always be remembered with more gratitude that you could ever know.

    Cheryl

  • Dear Vivian,

    I wish to thank you for everything you have done to enable me to feel some justice has been achieved with the hope that the Catholic Church recognises it’s failings and addresses them.  In doing so, the Catholic Church can continue in the future, without public cynicism and to keep alive the central message of all religion, “to love thy neighbour as you would love yourself”.

    Essentially, this is asking us to step into another’s shoes before we judge them.  I feel that you did this for me during my conversations with me, and this made it easier for me to go through the whole process.  I also won’t forget the thoroughness and delightful manner of your staff.

    JA

  • Yes indeed, thank you Vivian for your perseverance and dedication in doing whatever you can to bring about some justice in the absence of a full ecclesiastical council/court to judge publicly those who have violated not only the natural law, but the law of God in whose name these violations have taken place.

    Kathleen

  • As a mother, I write to express my gratitude to you and your team for the support of my daughter following her sexual assault three years ago.  Although the bloke who assaulted her was not charged the dollars being awarded to her following your intervention certainly acknowledges the wrong that was done – and will I hope, help her to move on.  Thank you for the work you do.  With much gratitude and appreciation.

    PS

  • Viv Waller spent many hours over months gathering, sorting and preparing our evidence and my statement - a statement which was webcast around Australia and the world. 

    Viv Waller has spent her professional career solely helping and assisting people who were sexually assaulted as children by those in religious organisations.  In so many cases she had taken the power from the perpetrator and given it back to the survivor.

    Viv Waller’s work is essential.  Her guidance, abilities and professionalism lead me through a most overwhelming and daunting task which I can only thank her for.

    Chrissie Foster
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