Job: 2024-185 | Full-Time | Permanent | Flexible Location

• Mentor and support the growth of employees in your team
• Manage the Care & Protection / Family Law Practice
• Advise senior management on legal compliance and practices

Primary Purpose of the Role

The Deputy Principal Solicitor is responsible for managing staff and resources within the Care & Protection and Family Law Practice. This role ensures the delivery of high-quality legal advice and representation for Aboriginal clients, in compliance with ALS policies and relevant legislation.

Additionally, the Deputy Principal Solicitor monitors Care & Protection and Family Law matters, assessing their impact on the organisation and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. This position also supports the development of ALS policies and provides strategic advice to the Principal Solicitor and Principal Legal Officer on service delivery and operations.

Why Join the ALS Team?

At the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) you can make an impact. You will join a strong movement fighting for social justice and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.

Our focus is our people: the people we support and the people we employ. We offer a career you can be proud of and a place where you feel safe to be yourself. We invest in our people and appreciate the rich diversity of lived experiences, languages, and culture.

Born out of a protest movement over 50 years ago, the ALS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation delivering high-quality, culturally safe legal and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW and the ACT. It’s an exciting time to be joining us. We recently received additional funding to deliver a range of new programs aimed at addressing systemic issues and driving structural reforms. This is creating significant opportunities for the ALS, our staff and communities.

As well as the satisfaction of working in a job that really matters, we offer our staff benefits including:

• Not-for-profit salary packaging to reduce your tax liability and maximise take-home pay
• Annual leave loading of 17.5%
• Career and professional development opportunities
• Access to personal counselling for you and your family
• Additional paid leave of up to 6 days per year, paid parental and study leave
• Flexible work options – talk to us about how we can make this role work for you

About the Role

The Deputy Principal Solicitor is part of the Care and Protection / Family Law Practice.

The Deputy Principal Solicitor will be responsible for:

• Demonstrating continuing respect and support for Aboriginal cultural practices in dealing with clients, their families, communities, directors and staff. Continuing to learn about the customs and history of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• Providing, and ensuring the provision of, high quality and culturally appropriate legal advice and representation to Aboriginal clients and assisting them in resolving their legal problems and undertaking Court responsibilities
• Ensuring the lawful achievement of ALS core business objectives to the highest standards of probity and efficiency, and with due reference to the interests of all stakeholders
• Assisting the Principal Solicitor, Care & Protection and Family Law Practice and Principal Legal Officer in determining legal practice options and recommendations for the ALS
• Travelling to regional and interstate locations for work purposes. An inherent requirement of the job is the ability to independently travel to regional locations by car for work purposes, therefore a current driver’s licence is required (the ALS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will consider reasonable adjustments where an employee cannot meet this requirement due to a disability or their age)

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of New South Wales with an unrestricted practising certificate combined with up to 5 years of demonstrated experience in the application of the Care & Protection or Family law or other relevant area of law.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in legal representation for Aboriginal clients in Care & Protection or Family Law matters (including family violence).
• Demonstrated management and supervision skills within a legal practice service and delivery environment
• High-level knowledge and understanding of relevant Care & Protection or Family law legislation, case law and court proceedings to effectively represent and advocate for Aboriginal clients
• Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal people combined with continuing respect and support for Aboriginal cultural practices when considering service delivery and other support for clients, their families, communities and staff

Pre-Employment Requirements

ALS is committed to implementing safe recruitment practices. Your application may be subject to pre-employment checks such as reference checks, Working with Children (NSW) or Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) check, Right to work in Australia and National Police History check.

How to Apply

Please click apply now. Before you begin, make sure you have an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

If you have questions about this role, please email [email protected] using the subject line: 2024-185 Deputy Principal Solicitor, Care and Protection / Family Law enquiry via EthicalJobs.

At ALS NSW/ACT, we are committed to providing equal opportunities to all candidates. If you identify as a person with a disability and need any adjustments or support with your application including throughout the recruitment process, please let us know by reaching out to our Recruitment Team at [email protected].