In early 1970, when the first Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) was established, Hal Wootten, professor of law, was its first President.
[citation needed] The Aboriginal Law Research Unit was established at UNSW on 23 April 1981.
A small group of academics – Professor Garth Nettheim, Richard Chisholm, Pat O'Shane and Neil Rees – established a "back-up centre" or legal research centre that could assist the frontline ALS as well as and Aboriginal Land Councils.
In recent years, the ILC has been assisting with the reforms proposed by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, in particular a First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to coordinate and facilitate the making of agreements and a truth-telling process.
[5][6] As of November 2020[update], the ILC focuses on six core research areas:[4] The Indigenous Legal Centre publishes two journals:[1]