• Part-time position, 12-month contract
• Responsible to: Director of Artists in the Black (AITB) Legal
• Salary Range: $34,500 - $45,000 (21 – 28 hours per week) (+ salary packaging + superannuation)
• This is an Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander identified position

BACKGROUND & ROLE WITHIN THE ORGANISATION

Arts Law is Australia’s independent national community legal centre for the Arts.  Our purpose is to empower artists through the law. We provide free or low cost specialised legal advice, education and resources to Australian artists and arts organisations across all art forms, on a wide range of arts related legal and business matters.

Arts Law’s Artists in the Black (AITB) program delivers targeted services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts and cultural organisations nationally. The AITB service was established in 2004 to provide enhanced legal services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and communities.

The AITB Paralegal will work within the AITB team, including the AITB Coordinator, the Director AITB Legal, Head of Legal and Operations and the CEO, to assist in the delivery of Arts Law’s service to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts communities. This role will provide support and assistance to Arts Law staff and volunteers and will be required to provide administrative support for the CEO, Head of Legal and Operations, Director of AITB, Solicitors and AITB Coordinator where required.

The position is part time (3-4 days/21-28 hours per week negotiable) for 12 months. Generally, a working day at Arts Law is 9am-5pm with a one-hour break for lunch. Leave loading and the Superannuation Contribution (SGC) is paid in addition to the salary. Salary packaging is available for Arts Law employees. The position requires working in the Arts Law office 2 days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) and working remotely on the other 2 days (Monday and Friday).

STATEMENT OF DUTIES

Community and Cultural Engagement:

• Assist in the promotion of AITB to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and communities as well as to non-Indigenous agencies on a national basis
• Assist Arts Law and Arts Law’s Reconciliation Working Group with the further development and implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan

Legal Information and Education:

• Assist the AITB Co-ordinator, Director of AITB and CEO in ensuring an effective legal advice and community education program is provide to AITB clients
• Provide information to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and communities about Arts Law services
• Participate in activities which promote legislative and policy change, consistent with the aims and objectives of AITB
• Assist in the development of materials to explain law and policy reform issues to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, organisations and communities

AITB projects:

• Assist with delivery of the AITB governance services, and professional development to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts organisations
• Assist with development of Arts Law / AITB advocacy projects

Legal, Administration and Organisation Responsibilities:

• Take instructions as needed from AITB clients and draft instructions from in-house and external lawyers
• Create legal advice files when requested by the CEO, Director AITB Legal and Solicitors
• Assist with the wills project as necessary
• Maintain and update legal advice files as necessary
• Manage and maintain the AITB email inbox
• Prepare and maintain appropriate records and reports as required
• Be responsible for own administration and organisational tasks, including work processing
• Attend board, Committee and staff meetings as requested
• Other duties, within scope of the position as required
• Liaise with external volunteer lawyers in relation to timely delivery of document review service and pro-bono referrals for AITB clients

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

• Identify as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
• Excellent attention to detail
• Tertiary or other qualifications or current study relevant to the provision of legal services
• Demonstrated understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture
• Highly developed verbal, written, presentation and communication skills
• Excellent organisation and time management skills with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple competing work tasks and deliver these to agreed timelines
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a small office environment
• Ability to undertake administrative tasks (including file notes, use of Salesforce, Microsoft Office and Outlook calendar)

Desirable:

• Previous paralegal or administration experience will be highly regarded
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of problems faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, arts organisation and communities relevant to the Arts
• Understanding and appreciation of a community based legal centre
• Demonstrated experience liaising with relevant government and various stakeholders
• Willing to travel to remote communities for short period of time as required