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  • 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.

Team

Dr Waller was instrumental in the Royal Commission into the Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse where she represented 20 survivor witnesses in case studies inquiring into the Melbourne Response, Victorian State Wards, Yeshiva Bondi and Melbourne, Catholic Church Authorities in Ballarat and the Criminal Justice System.

Dr Vivian Waller

Principal Solicitor
Vivian Waller

 

Dr Vivian Waller is a solicitor and the principal of Waller Legal, a legal practice dedicated to looking after victims of crime and those who have endured sexual assault or child abuse.

She was admitted to legal practice in 1995 and has represented victim/survivors of sexual assault for nearly 20 years.

Viv graduated from law at Monash University where she later taught law and lectured in politics before being admitted to practice in 1995. Viv has completed a doctorate at the University of Melbourne in civil claims for compensation for childhood sexual assault and in particular the unique psychological effects of childhood sexual assault and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Her thesis was a comprehensive analysis of limitation periods (time limits) in sexual assault litigation.

Viv completed her articles at Slater & Gordon in 1994 and worked at that firm for four years. Whilst in that role she worked on the early sexual abuse cases against Catholic Clergy including cases against St John Of God and the Christian Brothers. In addition to this she worked on personal injury, medical negligence and public liability matters. Upon moving to the class action department she worked on international class action litigation including breast implant litigation proceedings issued Melbourne, Sydney and Texas and the Dow Corning Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

She was formerly a Senior Associate at Maurice Blackburn where she worked for 10 years. In 1997 she commenced work for former wards of the state and has acted for many state wards assisting them to seek justice and compensation. She commenced this career long project with a group of cases in relation to mistreatment at the old Ballarat Orphanage. She has acted for state wards harmed in children's homes across Victoria and this remains an important part of her current practice. While at Maurice Blackburn she set up the Sexual Assault Unit, Australia's first legal practice dedicated solely to the provision of legal services to those who have been sexual assaulted. She continues do to this work in her own firm.

In 2005 the Victorian Women Lawyers bestowed upon her an Achievement Award for her services to victims of sexual assault. Viv acted for Carol Stingel in her successful High Court Appeal against Geoff Clark.

Establishing her own legal firm in February 2007, Viv continues her work for those who have been the victim of a crime or endured sexual assault or abuse. Waller Legal represents hundreds of clients each year, helping them to access justice, financial assistance and compensation.

In the pursuit of justice for sexual assault victims Viv has taken action against individual offenders, footballers, doctors, hospitals, teachers, social workers, psychiatrists, priests, religious orders, Christian Brothers, Salesian Brothers, Franciscan Friars, children's homes and orphanages, government departments, childcare centres and schools. Sadly, Catholic Clergy are vastly over represented as Defendants in her practice.

Viv is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria and Victorian Women Lawyers.

In The News
Testimonials

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Thank you for what you did, what you said and who you are, your thoughtfulness will always be remembered with more gratitude that you could ever know.

    Cheryl

  • Again we cannot thank you enough for all your dedication and hard work over the past few years, we would not have made it without your persistence and dogged determination to get this to settlement stage, many others would have settled for less. We now have a girl who has beaten the odds, and whose self esteem has rocketed, is confident, and especially is calm!

    We wish you all good things in life, as without lawyers like yourself who will take the risk of taking on the "untouchables" we would not have kept our girl on track or most importantly, alive. The road for her is still to be traveled, but this will assist in making the journey less troubled, and we hope with time and continued therapy she will see herself as a complete person and not as a shadow of who she could be.

    You will be forever in our thoughts.

    TJ

  • 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

  • Thank you so much for all of your hard work this year getting my VOCAT application together, and for the fantastic outcome. While I am still dealing with the emotional ramifications of what happened to me, I now feel like I have the means to continue rebuilding myself and my life. Thank you.

    CC

  • Thank you Vivian, I really appreciate all your help, you have given me a second chance in life.

    RF

  • 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
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