• Award/Classification: ​Level 6 or 7 Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHCADS)
• Position Status:​​ 2-year contract 
• 21-28 hours per week part-time or full time (flexible depending on availability of the successful candidate)
• Working Hours/Days​​: 9.00am to 5.00pm (or as otherwise agreed)
• Salary Range:​ Competitive sector salary in line with experience, plus 10.5% employer superannuation, annual leave loading, salary packaging options, an additional 3 weeks paid ex gratia leave over the Christmas/New Year period and access to Flex/TIL leave 
• Responsible to:​​ Health Justice Partnership Manager and Principal Solicitor 
• Location:​ As this role is part of our Health Justice Partnership with South-Western Sydney Local Health District, 2 days per week (subject to change) will be in either Liverpool Hospital or Bankstown Community Health Centre, embedded with our health partner.  The other workdays will be in our office or working from home

ROLE SUMMARY 

The Health Justice Partnership (HJP) Solicitor will be key to ACDL’s Health Justice Partnership project with South-Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) Community Mental Health Service (Health Partner).  This is an exciting new project for ACDL which will run until at least June 2025.  Your role will be focused on providing legal advice and assistance to patients of the community mental health service, in the South-Western Sydney Area.  This role will be best suited to a lawyer who has strong generalist legal skills in a number of civil law areas, such as guardianship, employment law, fines/consumer law, tenancy law, disability discrimination law, family law and domestic violence.  

Your work will involve establishing/developing the HJP together with the Manager of the Health Justice Partnership, working closely with medical and allied health staff of our Health Partner, developing and running training / legal education for health staff in relation to legal issues, providing legal advice and (where appropriate) ongoing legal representation, and working closely with other legal service providers with respect to referrals of clients.

ACDL OVERVIEW 

The Australian Centre for Disability Law (ACDL) is a specialist legal centre based in Sydney, which operates a disability discrimination law practice across NSW, and a disability and human rights law practice across Australia. It was established in 1994 to assist people with disability and their associates to learn about and pursue their rights under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). 

ACDL is governed by a community-based Management Committee and is staffed by an Executive Officer/Principal Solicitor, 4 solicitors and volunteers.  ACDL IS co-located with a national peak disability advocacy organisation in 2014.

ESSENTIAL SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants are required to respond to the following essential selection criteria:

• Hold or eligible to hold a practising certificate in NSW and at least three (3) years’ post admission experience. 
• Demonstrated understanding and experience in at least two areas of law affecting people with mental health conditions, such as guardianship, employment law, fines/consumer law, tenancy law, disability discrimination law, family law and domestic violence.  
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to social justice, as well as the ability to identify legal and non-legal issues facing people with mental health conditions. 
• Capacity to undertake legal research and develop and deliver legal education and training to Health Partner staff and patients of the mental health service. 
• Willingness and ability to travel to Liverpool and/or Bankstown on a two-day per week basis. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds. 
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision, manage program priorities,undertake own administration, maintain data collection, engage in ongoing evaluation activities, prepare reports and assist in the general day to day administration of the ACDL. 
• Work professionally and collaboratively with team members and Health Partner stakeholders to provide legal and non-legal support to people with mental health conditions and their associates. 

DESIRABLE:

• Project management experience. 
• Civil litigation and ADR experience, including representation at mediation or conciliation. 
• Insight / familiarity with mental health services. 
• A current drivers licence.

ACDL’s COVID- 19 vaccination policy identifies this role as requiring up to date COVID-19 vaccination status.

People with disability and their associates, people from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait background or culturally and linguistically diverse background are encouraged to apply.

Phone Anastacia Totoeva on 0448 780 103 for enquiries.  No closing date, applications will be considered on a progressive basis as they are received.  We invite you to apply as soon as possible. 

A position description is attached.