• Catholic Clergy Claims
    Catholic Clergy Claims
    Dr Vivian Waller has acted in claims against Catholic Clergy since 1995.
  • 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.
  • The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
    The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
    Established in January 2013, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse investigated how institutions like schools, churches and sporting groups responded to allegations of child sexual abuse.

Catholic Clergy Claims

Dr Vivian Waller has acted in claims against Catholic Clergy since 1995.

Catholic Clergy Claims

Overview

Waller Legal has acted in claims against Catholic defendants since our beginning in 2007 and has recovered compensation for survivors abused by Catholic Priests such as Frs Baker, Ridsdale, Kevin O'Donnell, D'Cruz, Gannon, Glennon, Gubbels, Frank Klep, Bernard Day, Pidoto and many others.

We specialise in claims where sexual abuse has been perpetrated by clergy members in Victoria.

We have helped our clients recover compensation for sexual abuse by Catholic priests, brothers, nuns and lay people working within a Catholic institution.

We have successfully recovered compensation for clients in claims against many Catholic entities, including the:

  • Christian Brothers
  • Diocese of Ballarat
  • Salesians of Don Bosco
  • Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
  • De La Salle Brothers
  • Passionist Brothers
  • Marist Brothers
  • Marist Fathers (or the Society of Mary)
  • Vincentians 
  • Redemptorists
  • Jesuits

 

The Christian Brothers

We have recovered compensation for hundreds of clients who were sexually abused at Christian Brother schools and orphanages in Victoria and throughout Australia.

Initially the majority of claims arose from schools in Ballarat, such as St Alipius Primary School and St Patrick’s College.  These cases related to sexual predators such as Christian Brothers Robert Charles Best, Ted Dowlan (now known as Ted Bales) and Leo Fitzgerald.  

In more recent times we have acted and continue to act for a large number of clients who came to Australia as child migrants from the United Kingdom, Malta and other countries and who were then sexually abused in Christian Brother run institutions in Western Australia, including Tardun, Bindoon, Clontarf and Castledare.

We have achieved compensation for former students of Parade College, St Leo’s Christian Brother College Box Hill, Therry College Broadmeadows (later known as Penola Catholic College) and other schools.  We have also successfully obtained compensation for clients abused by lay teachers in Christian Brother schools.

We have also run many successful claims for former state wards who were sexually abused at St Augustine’s Boys’ Home in Geelong and St Vincent Boys’ Home in South Melbourne.  We have achieved compensation for clients who were sexually abused in orphanages by various Christian Brothers including Brothers Eastmure, McGee, Hackett, Alford and Houston.

The Diocese of Ballarat

The Diocese of Ballarat includes fifty-one parishes that cover the western third of Victoria, extending from the Murray River in the North to the Southern Ocean in the South.

We act for survivors who were sexually abused by clergy of The Diocese of Ballarat including people harmed by notorious convicted child sex offender Father Gerald Ridsdale.

The Salesians of Don Bosco

We act for clients who were sexually abused at Rupertswood, Salesian College in Sunbury and St Joseph’s Regional College in Ferntree Gully.

Our clients’ claims relate to sexual abuse by Father Frank Klep, Father Julian Fox, former Father David Rapson, Father Michael Aulsebrook and others.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC)

We have recovered compensation for clients who were sexually abused at Monivae College in Hamilton by different members of the MSC including convicted child sex offender Brother Edward Mamo.

The De La Salle Brothers

We have recovered compensation for clients who were sexually abused at different De La Salle run schools including at St Joseph’s primary school and De La Salle College in Malvern, Victoria.

Allegations have related to Brother Anselm (Tom Hallam) and Brother Ibar (Frank Keating).

The Marist Brothers

We act for clients who were sexually abused by different members of the Marist Brothers including convicted sex offender Brother Gerard McNamara.

 

If you wish to investigate a potential civil claim against a Catholic organisation, please call us on 03 9415 9999 to have a confidential discussion about your options.
In pursuit of justice
In The News
Testimonials
  • What Dr Waller has achieved for me is nothing short of a miracle.  At the age of 60 I was feeling very upset at the abuse that I had encountered as a very young girl at the hands of a Salesian Brother.  My dealings with the Salesians many years later to try and resolve the matter left a very bitter taste in my mouth.  In fact, they made me feel abused all over again.  Vivian Waller was referred to me by Broken Rites, and that was the day my life changed.  I am so grateful that my words feel a little trite.

    Vivian has a no nonsense approach, keeps you on track, is honest, and like a dog with a bone, she keeps you going to have the desired outcome.  The world needs more Vivians.  Myself and my family are forever grateful to you.  Thanks mate, you’re my hero.

    Cathie
  • 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
  • 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 have thought of you often and the journey and the process of the last couple of years.  As a survivor you can think that every end step will be closure—arrest, guilt, sentencing, criminal case finished, civil case complete.  But there is never really an end.  Each part of the process is just a step closer to healing and closure.  You and your staff did a fab job of walking me through the civil case.

    For six months the money has sat idle in an account I can’t touch.  It feels as though if I touch it I am accepting it as silence money and once again feeling gagged.  But I am getting there.  It will be used towards a fresh start.  Hope for a more whole and healed future.  Thank you for being part of the process.

    Thank you for your professionalism, support, and persistence.

    KD
  • You are a wonderful warrior for truth and justice.

    Mary
  • I feel so fortunate to have gone through this with you and your great team.

    The delicate way you approach very sensitive issues made this whole process a lot more comfortable than I would ever have imagined.  I will forever be grateful to you and your amazing team for taking my case.

    From me and all the other survivors, thank you so much.

    N,M,J
  • I do not think that words can fully express my gratitude, but I will try.  It took me a number of years to decide to proceed with legal action for my abuse claim.  I had heard about Waller Legal from a friend and I must say that all he said was correct, in that they are awesome, sympathetic, etc.  But not ever what he told me prepared me for the experience that I had dealing with Waller Legal.  Firstly, Elisa.  You are a lovely empathetic soul who I truly felt comfortable dealing with.  You were even able to make me laugh on my down days of going through and discussing legal issues pertaining to my case.  It was a pleasure dealing with you. Thank you so much.

    Vivian Waller you too are amazing both as a person and as a legal representative.  I felt so comfortable with you from our very first meeting.  You spoke like a sister to me, not just as a lawyer.  Your legal ability is truly outstanding and you represented me with 110% effort always.  You made the hearing easy for me, as I had total confidence in you.

    For everyone who is hesitant to make a claim against an abuser, please do not hesitate to have Vivian and her staff represent you.  Truly amazing people.  Thanks so much again.

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

    BQ
  • Dear Viv and Staff, thank you so much. You are all wonderful.

    E, L & J
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