On 5 February, we were pleased to celebrate the 2025/2026 edition of the Law Handbook.
The Law Handbook is Victoria’s most trusted, practical guide to the law since 1977. Updated every year by more than 80 voluntary legal experts, our leading guide to the law covers over 90 common legal topics in Victoria.
This resource includes detailed information about areas of the law that affect people in their everyday lives including tenancy, consumer protection, anti-discrimination, family violence and custody matters, through to environmental and employment law. It also provides information on emerging legal issues and changes to the law.
This year’s launch marked many exciting milestones for the Law Handbook:
- The publication of the 2025/2026 Edition of the Law Handbook
- The release of the new Law Handbook website;
- The announcement of our newest AI Law Handbook Project
To finish the night, we hosted a panel discussion: Equitable Access to Legal Information in the AI Era.
Since 1977, the Law Handbook has served as a trusted, practical guide to Victorian Law.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have revolutionised the potential for legal information to become more accessible to the community than ever before.
But with this potential also comes new modes of inequality, widening the digital divide and introducing doubt as to the accuracy of online information.
As we continue to publish the Law Handbook, both in print and online, the question emerges: how might community legal information remain accessible in this changing landscape?
Panel discussion, moderated by Verena Tan, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement
We were joined by an expert panel to consider these questions:
- Dave King – Partner and Co-Founder, Radical Intelligence
- Dean Moutopoulos – Project Lead, National Justice Project
- Stephen So – Head of AI Strategy, Lander & Rogers
- Lucinda Thorpe – Privacy Campaigner, Digital Rights Watch
The panel explored a range of risks to manage, from privacy to controlling bias. However, the panel encouraged us all to give AI a play.
In a world of Large Language Models, community legal centres have an opportunity. They have the power to lead the way with tools to connect, inform, and enhance navigation of the legal system.
We thank our community, contributors, and supporters for joining us. Work will begin on the 2027 edition later this year.
Browse the new Law Handbook website for free, and to buy your copy.
