What is STILS?
The STILS project is designed to transform how legal services are delivered to people who have experienced trauma.
By integrating trauma-informed principles into legal practice, the project aims to:
- Improve client outcomes
- Enhance staff wellbeing
- Identify best practices in trauma-informed lawyering
As part of the project, legal teams in each partner organisation will implement key elements of the With You Trauma-Informed Organisational Toolkit, including trauma-informed supervision for staff and coaching for managers.
Why it Matters
People's legal needs often intersect with poor mental health and trauma. Despite growing awareness, there’s still limited empirical research on systemic trauma-informed legal practices.
STILS fills this gap by using a research-driven approach to tailor legal services that meet the unique challenges of trauma survivors, including First Nations peoples, family violence survivors, and those with mental health conditions.
Project Goals
This research will advance the evidence-based training of the With You project to assess the impact of training, supervision and coaching on legal service delivery.
The primary objectives of STILS are to:
- Implement and critically evaluate trauma-informed legal practices across key Legal Aid Commissions in three Australian states and territories, in three practice areas.
- Assess the effectiveness and benefits of trauma-informed lawyering for both clients and legal staff, with a focus on improving client experiences, outcomes, and staff wellbeing.
- Identify and disseminate best practices in trauma-informed legal services to inform future policies and legal practice frameworks.
Expected Impact
The project is expected to benefit both clients and legal professionals. In the long term, it could influence the broader adoption of trauma-informed lawyering across Australia and beyond.
In a statement for La Trobe University, researcher, Associate Professor Chris Maylea, has stated that he hopes the work will lead to "enhanced client experiences and improved legal outcomes and set new standards in legal assistance."
"This strategic research alliance promises significant community benefits by developing an evidence-base for trauma-informed practices in the Australian legal system."
Further information can be found on La Trobe's website here: ARC Linkage Project to examine trauma-informed practices in public legal services, News, La Trobe University