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  • 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.

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.

Royal Commission & Redress Schemes

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

Waller Legal has represented 20 survivor and related witnesses at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse public hearings.  We are at the forefront of work for survivors of sexual abuse.

We represented Christine and Anthony Foster in Case Study 16 into the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Melbourne Response.

We represented Mr Manny Waks (and other witnesses) in Case Study 22 into Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshivah Bondi.

We represented 10 witnesses in Case Study 28 into Catholic Church Authorities in Ballarat.  We attended hearings in Ballarat, Melbourne and Sydney.

We represented former state wards in Case Study 30 into State Run Youth Training and Reception Centre’s including Turana, Winlaton and Baltara.

The Royal Commission is due to deliver its final report to the Federal government in December 2017.

If you are asked to give a statement or participate in a Royal Commission hearing it is important to seek independent legal advice before preparing and signing your statement.  The Attorney General’s office provides funding so it won’t cost you anything to be legally represented.  Please call our office on 03 9415 9999 urgently.

 

You can read more about the Royal Commission here: https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/

 

Redress Schemes – Compensation for Institutional Abuse

Waller Legal supports the work of the Royal Commission and Federal Government's announcement of a National Redress Scheme to pay compensation to survivors of institutional abuse.

While few details about the scheme are available, the key details are that:

  • The scheme will commence in 2018 and run for 10 years, with an option to extend the scheme.
  • Compensation will be capped at $150,000.00.
  • The scheme is “opt-in”, meaning that states and organisations cannot be compelled to participate in the scheme.

Participating in the scheme

It is difficult to know whether it is advisable to participate in the scheme, as few details are currently available.

It is important to have the advantage of legal advice in order to know what the best option is for you. Survivors might have a viable compensation claim that exceeds the $150,000.00 cap. 

The Royal Commission has recommended that people who have previously signed settlement agreements should be allowed to participate in the scheme.

We recommend that you register with us so that we can act promptly for you when further details of the national redress scheme become available.

Feel free to contact us on 03 9415 9999.

The Victorian Government may also establish a redress scheme for people sexually assaulted in institutional care. 

We recommend that you register with us so that we can act promptly for you when further details of the national redress scheme become available.

A media release in relation to the National Redress Scheme is available here. 

 

Please register now.  To register, you can call our office on 03 9415 9999 or email us at info@wallerlegal.com.au.
In pursuit of justice
In The News
Testimonials

  • 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

  • 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

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

    BQ

  • You are a wonderful warrior for truth and justice.

    Mary

  • It is with both great relief and admiration that I write this letter to you. A consummate professional and an amazingly beautiful human being you are. Thank you for doing such an exemplary job in resolving these issues for me, and supporting me with both compassion and instruction as my representative throughout this ordeal. I am painfully aware that no amount of retribution / compensation can replace what was taken, but I am hoping it can propel myself forward to achieve some sort of normality in my life. With respect and gratitude.

    JZ

  • 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

  • Six years after the settlement:

    It has been a long and well-travelled road for our girl, but I never thought I would see the day when she is as happy as she is now.  I was so happy when she decided to study nursing!  The settlement that she received enabled her to study full time over the past three years without having to worry about working while studying.

    What happened to our daughter, and to us as a family, will never go away, however, our daughter has managed to pick up the fragments of her life and move on. The horrors of what have happened will not disappear, perhaps just fade as more joyful occasions occur in her life.

    I want all of you to know what a tower of strength and support you were to all of us and that without you, our daughter’s life would have turned out very differently.

    You are always in our thoughts with gratitude for what you achieved.

    TJ

  • I would like to thank you for acting on behalf in regards to the Christian Brothers.  Your logo “in pursuit of justice” says it all.  I didn’t know what to expect and very nearly withdrew from the whole process, but I am happy I didn’t.

    The most rewarding aspect for me was the sensitivity and warmth shown by you in relation to a very complex and emotional matter.  Also the knowledge that there are people willing to stand up on behalf of people like me has a healing effect.  I would also like to thank your staff for their warm and professional matter in this whole process.  You said to me during the phone appointment that you counted it a privilege to act for people like me.  Well Dr Waller, the privilege was all mine.  I wish you all the best in the future.

    JC

  • 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
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