Job: 2023-57 | Full-Time, Permanent | Flexible Locations in NSW

Primary Purpose of the Role

The primary purpose of the Managing Family Law Solicitor is to provide management and leadership of the ALS family law practice services, staff and resources to ensure that high quality family law services are provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients across NSW and the ACT.

Why Join the ALS NSW/ACT?

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 Managing Solicitor is part of the Care & Protection / Family Law Practice and to be based in any of the ALS offices across NSW.

This Managing Solicitor will be responsible for:

• Managing and leading the provision of high quality and effective family law services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients including children across NSW and the ACT whilst maintaining an effective balance between the management of the family law practice, casework, legal education and policy and law reform work.

• Leading and managing staff within the practice area.

• Allocating and reviewing work including the management of workloads.

• Assisting to coordinate and provide community legal education and training on family law and care & protection issues.

• Overseeing the intake and allocation of family law early intervention advice services and matters within the practice.

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings:

Essential

• Legal qualifications and a current unsupervised NSW Practicing Certificate

• A minimum of 5 years’ post-admission experience in family law including casework and court representation in parenting matters

• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously to manage the day-to-day activities of a law practice, including staff supervision, work allocation, workload management, professional development and performance reviews

• Experience in providing effective family law advice and representation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients

• Eligible to represent children as an Independent Children’s Lawyer in NSW

Desirable

• Identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person

• Experience and knowledge in the legal practice area of child protection

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, COVID-19 vaccinations and National Police History check.

A position description is attached.

If you have any enquiries or would like to discuss the role, please contact our recruitment team at [email protected], using the subject line: Managing Family Law Solicitor, Care & Protection / Family Law Practice enquiry via EthicalJobs.