• Position: Solicitor
  
• Reports to: Senior Solicitor
  
• Contract end date: 30 June 2023

About IARC

The Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC) is a specialist, not-for-profit community legal centre (CLC) with over 30 years’ experience in migration law and policy.

IARC’s vision is for a fair and just immigration system for everyone, regardless of means, and assists people seeking asylum, refugees, and vulnerable migrants in NSW through the provision of free legal information, advice, and casework services.

IARC also provides community legal education services, undertakes law reform and policy activities, and collaborates with other organisations in the legal and social justice/human rights sector on individual matters and on systemic issues.

IARC currently has three core projects:

• Domestic and Family Violence

IARC assists people on temporary visas experiencing domestic and family violence with their immigration or citizenship matter. People on temporary visas are at heightened risk from domestic and family violence because their visa status is often linked to their relationship with a violent partner.

• Visa Assist

Visa Assist is delivered in partnership with Unions NSW and aims to empower migrant workers to enforce their workplace rights by providing expert immigration advice to union members in NSW. Migrant workers can be afraid to speak out about wage theft, harassment, and exploitation in their workplace for fear of having their visa cancelled and being removed from Australia.

• General Practice

IARC’s general practice provides information, referrals, advice, and representation services to vulnerable people in the following areas of immigration law:

• Family visas such as Partner, Child, Parent and Carer visas.
• Protection visas especially to those in need of protection due to domestic and family violence or their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Family reunion through the Refugee and Humanitarian visa program.
• Visa cancellations.
• Australian citizenship.
• Other temporary visas like Bridging visas and Visitor visas.

The position

The Solicitor provides information, advice, and casework services to clients of one of IARC’s core projects. The Solicitor is supervised by the Senior Solicitor of the relevant project. This is a fixed-term position until 30 June 2023.

IARC is an equal opportunity employer. Members of the LGBTQA+ community, people living with HIV, First Nations people and people from a CALD background are encouraged to apply.

major accountabilities

• Provide immigration legal services to vulnerable migrants including legal advice (by phone and in person) and legal tasks as required;
• Undertake legal casework, including taking instructions, legal research, assessment, providing advice, representation, and general advocacy to achieve positive outcomes for IARC’s clients;
• Participate in the delivery of IARC’s information and community legal education program;
• Research and develop policy positions related to the work of IARC’s legal practice to provide a basis for advocacy; and
• Represent IARC at meetings and other forums to promote awareness of IARC’s work and develop relationships.

Key communications

Internally

The Solicitor works closely with the other members of the project team and other members of the legal team and attends weekly casework meetings. The Solicitor also works with, and provides guidance to, volunteers who assist with the work of the legal practice. The Solicitor discusses any issues that arise day to day with the Senior Solicitor.

The Solicitor also works with the Principal Solicitor, Director, Community Engagement Officer, and the Communications Officer on a project basis.

Externally

The Solicitor regularly speaks with legal clients to take instructions and deals the Department of Home Affairs and Tribunal Staff in relation to particular matters. The Solicitor also works with caseworkers, support workers and staff in the legal assistance sector to facilitate the provision of legal advice and support services for clients.

The Solicitor participates in relevant community and government stakeholder meetings to exchange information and views, to exert influence and to raise awareness of issues faced by IARC’s clients.

decision making

The Solicitor exercises initiative and judgement and manages their own workload. The position is responsible for the day-to-day management of their client files in accordance with the Legal Practice Manual and the Legal Profession Act and with the support provided by the Senior Solicitor.

Strategic decisions about the direction of client matters and advice to clients are discussed at casework meetings and with the Senior Solicitor and Principal Solicitor, as are ethical and professional issues such as conflicts of interest and complaints. Decisions about what client matters are taken on by IARC and decisions with financial implications are also discussed with the Senior Solicitor and/or the Principal Solicitor.

key challenges

• Managing the emotional impact of working vulnerable clients.
• Managing workload given the demand for legal advice and the limited resources available to provide assistance.

knowledge skills and experience

Essential

• Holds or is eligible for an unrestricted practicing certificate in NSW with two years legal experience and at least one year’s experience in practicing immigration law;
• Well-developed interpersonal skills and the capacity to develop formal and informal relationships and networks in order to engage and build rapport with clients and stakeholders;
• Writing skills for the drafting of legal correspondence, and to prepare reports and other publications;
• Capacity to deliver Community Legal Education;

• Ability to set priorities, organise and manage own workload and meet deadlines; and
• An understanding about providing a culturally safe and trauma informed practice.

Desirable

• Driver’s license and willingness to travel.

salary and benefits

The salary and conditions of these positions are set out in the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS Award).

The Solicitor position is graded at Level 5 of the award, which has a salary range of $88,996 to $93,023.

IARC is a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) and is currently able to offer salary packaging subject to IARC’s Salary Sacrifice Policy. Please note that if IARC’s PBI status changes, the salary packaging arrangements may be withdrawn.

Application Process

Applications should be sent through Ethical jobs before the closing date However, we may begin interviewing candidates prior to the closing date.

If you have any queries about the roles, please contact Ali Mojtahedi (Principal Solicitor) or Joshua Strutt (Director) at [email protected], using the subject line: Solicitor enquiry via EthicalJobs.

The start dates of the positions are flexible for the right candidate, but we are hoping to have the successful applicants commence by early August 2022.