PIAC conducts litigation on a broad range of public interest issues. PIAC interest is in issues that affect not just one individual but the wider community, particularly those disadvantaged sectors of the community who would not otherwise have the ability to pursue these issues on their own behalf.

PIAC aims to identify and address unmet legal need and therefore only takes on matters that, without the help of PIAC, would fall through the cracks.

Legal services include advice and representation in test cases, representative or class actions and amicus curiae (‘friend of the court’) interventions.

In recent years PIAC has undertaken litigation in relation to human rights, consumer protection, and legal challenges to government actions and decisions (also known as administrative law challenges), especially those affecting disadvantaged groups of the community.