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Respect  Compassion  Integrity  Justice

We are Child Protection and Criminal Law specialists prepared to fight hard for our clients.

We are a different type of law practice. Motivated through integrity and a strong focus on social justice, we provide the very best legal representation to our clients by practicing client-focused, holistic legal work.

Started by Joel Orenstein in 2009, over the last decade we have grown to be industry leaders in Child Protection, Criminal and Family Violence law and practice. We have a strong reputation for our depth of expertise, as well as our fearless and compassionate advocacy.

We are members of the exclusive Victoria Legal Aid Panels in Child Protection, Crime, (including Youth Crime), and Family Violence and have been Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialists in Children’s Law since 2015.

With offices in Geelong and Warrnambool, we represent adult and child clients in Courts throughout metropolitan and regional Victoria.

News

New report released into the impact of the “Permanency Amendments” and their effect upon vulnerable children

A new report containing an analysis of the data for outcomes for children since the "permanency amendments" made in Victoria in 2016 has just been released by Victoria Legal Aid. We provided several case studies for the report highlighting the experiences of our...

Victoria to have a Spent Convictions Scheme

Victoria is finally introducing a spent convictions scheme, which means that after 10 years for adults, and 5 years for juveniles, minor offences will no longer appear on a police record check. Minor convictions particularly impact on those who are disproportionately...

Fears of a COVID generation of kids in State care

Kids in State care are unable to have face to face contact with their parents, creating a COVID generation of kids who will most likely never return to their families. This situation is exacerbated by strict 2 year time frames enshrined in law, with no ability for the...

Metro Children’s Court goes virtual – New Practice Direction

The Children's Court of Victoria has issued a new practice direction commencing on Monday 13 July 2020 and running for the next 6 weeks switching all cases to online hearings in an effort to minimise court users attending court. This immediately effects the Children's...

Kids As Young As Ten To Be Charged With A Crime.

"In Victoria, the law allows for kids as young as ten to be charged with a crime, brought before the court, and locked up. The age a child can be held criminally responsible in every Australian state and territory is ten—one of the lowest in the Western world and in...

Use Of Force

Use of force against children is not OK. If you dehumanise kids, then it seems OK to tear gas them in a cell. Don Dale case in the High Court at the moment. Read more on the Sydney Morning Herald

Our Services

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About Us

From humble beginnings, the firm has grown significantly and now is a recognised industry leader in the provision of legal services in the Children’s Court across Victoria.

“The team at Orenstein Lawyers are the experts when it comes to child protection law. They show compassion and genuine care when providing guidance and support. Having them assist you through what could be the worst time of your life to get the outcomes needed for your family. There is no one more passionate than Joel and his team. Very strong advocates for keeping Aboriginal families together.”

Jodi C., Aboriginal Wellbeing Officer

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