ILAQ will be hosting the 2025 National Indigenous Legal Conference (NILC) at QUT Gardens Point from 26 to 27 November 2025. 

The NILC brings together legal professionals, scholars, and community leaders to discuss and address critical issues impacting Indigenous communities and their interaction with the legal system.

Tickets are available for sale now here.

Call for Papers

This is a call to all legal practitioners, community organisations, policy makers, academics, and researchers—both Indigenous and non-Indigenous—who are working on contemporary legal issues impacting Indigenous Australian peoples, businesses, and communities.

We are seeking presentations that foster meaningful dialogue and share innovative, culturally-grounded solutions. If your work contributes to this vital conversation, we want to hear from you.

Suggested topics include:

• Native Title & Cultural Heritage
• Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP)
• Access to Justice & Restorative Justice
• Changing the Complexion of the Legal Profession
• Criminal Law, Youth Justice & Alternative Courts
• Coronial Inquiries & Law and Health
• Embedding Indigenous Perspectives into Legal Curriculum
• Supporting the Indigenous Business Sector

Key Dates:

• EOI Submission Deadline: October 6, 2025
• Acceptance Notification: October 27, 2025
• Full Paper Submission: November 10, 2025

Fill out the Expression of Interest form here.

Let’s collaborate to build a stronger, more inclusive legal future.

Theme

The theme for the 2025 NILC is ‘Strength, Vision and Legacy’.

The 2025 NILC theme was inspired by the 2025 National NAIDOC Theme, and is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Indigenous Peoples will —and must —continue. There have been many moments in Australia’s reconciliation journey that make us want to turn away. But when things are divisive, the worst thing we can do is disengage or disconnect.

Gala Dinner and Mullenjaiwakka (Lloyd McDermott) Oration

The Gala Dinner will be held at the Pullman Hotel in King George Square, and will feature the esteemed Mullenjaiwakka (Lloyd McDermott) Oration. The Oration is a highlight of the event, providing a unique platform for insightful discourse and powerful reflections from prominent voices within the Indigenous community.

Indigenous Law Students Day

An Indigenous Law Student event will be held in conjunction with the conference on Tuesday 25 November. This event is an opportunity for students to network with their peers and Indigenous lawyers and academics in an informal setting.

History of the NILC

The National Indigenous Legal Conference is a prominent annual event that brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous legal professionals, scholars, activists, law students, graduates, and community leaders from across Australia.

The conference provides a culturally safe forum for examining and discussing critical legal and policy matters affecting Indigenous peoples nationwide.

Since its inception, the NILC has addressed a wide range of issues, including the path to Treaty, Native Title, self-determination, truth and justice, the Stolen Generations, cultural safety in workplaces, and the protection of intellectual property of First Nations artists.

The conference also celebrates First Nations excellence and contributions to the legal profession through various sessions, networking opportunities, and a gala dinner.

The 2024 NILC was hosted by Tarwirri – the Indigenous Lawyers and Law Students Association of Victoria in Naarm (Melbourne). You can read more about this immensely successful event here.

More details about the 2025 NILC, including program details, are forthcoming.