Position Dimension and Relationship

The ANU Students’ Association or ‘ANUSA’ is the peak representative body for all ANU students. It provides a range of services aimed at providing support for the specific needs of students in relation to their studies and daily life. ANUSA is run by students for students, and represents ANU students both collectively and individually.

The ANUSA Legal Service is a community legal centre providing pro bono legal services to ANU students and student clubs and societies. In addition, ANUSA receives in-house legal advice from its legal team.

The Association’s staff, supervised by the Operations Manager, are a dedicated team that works closely with the elected officers of ANUSA to provide high quality services to ANU students.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Administration & Information Handling

• Maintain high standards of ethics, confidentiality, empathy with students, and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Provide high quality legal advice including initial email correspondence, information gathering and legal research and responding to general inquiries.
• Refer students with welfare-related needs to ANUSA’s Student Assistance Team, where necessary or to other legal services where legal needs outside scope of service.
• Maintain up-to-date records of legal assistance to students.
• Maintain student records according to relevant ANUSA policies, collating data from student records, and preparing reports as required to assist in evaluating and improving service delivery.

Strategic:

• Acquire and maintain knowledge of key stakeholders within ANU and Canberra community legal services to inform recommended referral pathways and provide effective referrals to ANU students.
• Contribute to and support project management activities that implement strategic directions and quality improvement recommendations, and provide feedback for ongoing development of policies and procedures.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of ANUSA’s internal policies and procedures.

Operational:

• Attend client interviews and issue appropriate, relevant legal advice to clients.
• Undertake relevant legal research and analysis.
• Draft legal documents, memoranda, legal opinions, prepare and deliver legal educational material for the ANUSA’s community legal education programs and legal resources for the ANUSA website.
• Where resources allow, supporting clients with small claims.
• Undertake other duties as required by ANUSA, consistent with the level of the position and the work of ANUSA.

General Standards:

• To respect the democratic structure of ANUSA at all times. The post-holder will be expected to will aspire to the highest standards of integrity and impartiality.
• Aim to maintain the highest standard of care to staff and students at all times.
• To abide by ANUSA’s constitution, policies and procedures and to comply with directions given by senior staff.
• To demonstrate good cross-cultural awareness and a commitment to equity, inclusiveness and social justice.

Selection Criteria

• Admission as an Australian Legal Practitioner.
• Hold, or be eligible to hold, a restricted practising certificate to practice law in the ACT.
• Experience working as a legal practitioner will be valued, however, this position would suit a new or recent graduate
• Relevant tertiary education with a strong academic record.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse range of people, including those from other cultural and language backgrounds.
• Demonstrated good legal research skills and ability to write clear and concise documents including research briefs and memos.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex legal information to clients effectively and accessibly
• Understanding of the legal and other issues students face, and ability to work from a person centred and empathic approach.
• Demonstrated interest in employment law and migration matters
• Demonstrated ability to work independently under professional supervision within a dynamic and diverse team of professional staff and students.
• Eligibility to hold an ACT Working With Vulnerable People Card.

Details of employment

Employment will be under the STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2019 (ANUSA Enterprise Agreement). The rights and obligations of this position are set out in the above Enterprise Agreement.

• Type of Employment: Fixed term (One year)
• Employment Status: $80, 113 per annum (pro-rata)+ 17% superannuation (ANUSA Enterprise Agreement ANUO Level 5.1)
• Hours: Full-time (35 hours per week). Flexible working hours will be considered.
• Contract duration: This role is a one year fixed term role with a possibility of renewal . Dates by agreement with ANUSA Operations Manager.
• Responsible to: ANUSA Principal Lawyer

To submit your application, click Apply Now.

Questions regarding the role may be emailed to [email protected], using the subject line: ANUSA Lawyer enquiry via EthicalJobs.