Job: 2024-176 | Full-Time | Fixed Term (Until January 2026) | Redfern, NSW

• Promoting awareness of and referrals to the program at our Redfern office
• We offer a not-for-profit salary packaging that maximises your take-home pay

Primary Purpose of the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to undertake a fixed-term contract as the Senior Solicitor for the Women’s Bail Advocacy Program. This unique role provides the successful applicant with the opportunity to maintain a practice with carriage of substantive matters in the Local and District Courts, as well as regular duty appearances, Supreme Court bail appearances, and EAGP matters.

The Senior Solicitor is responsible for promoting awareness of and referrals to the program at the Redfern office, mentoring more junior staff, and working with the multi-disciplinary WBAP team to help prevent avoidable remand and bail breaches for Aboriginal women.

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 Senior Solicitor is part of the Women’s Bail Advocacy Program within the Criminal Law Practice

The Senior Solicitor will be responsible for:

• Provide high quality and culturally safe legal representation to Aboriginal clients.
• Provide considered, independent, balanced and professional legal advice in relation to criminal charges and related legal proceedings.
• Appear as an advocate for Aboriginal people in NSW courts at all levels, including first appearance bail/s 74 applications, list matters, complex hearings and sentences, and committal proceedings in the Local Court; District Court appeals, sentences and trials (instructing counsel and appearing as an advocate in consultation with supervisors); and Supreme Court Bail hearings.
• Work closely with the Women’s BAP team to ensure the provision of timely, holistic legal and non-legal support and referrals to all clients supported by the Women’s BAP.

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Legal qualifications and a current Practising Certificate issued by the Law Society of NSW.
• In-depth knowledge of the criminal law, including practice and procedure.
• Experience appearing in bail proceedings, complex hearings, and District Court appeals and sentences.
• Highly advanced, trauma-informed communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal concepts to Aboriginal clients and community members.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal communities 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.

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] using the subject line: Senior Solicitor, Women's Bail Advocacy Program, Criminal Law Practice enquiry via EthicalJobs.

If you have any enquiries or would like to discuss the role, please contact our recruitment team at [email protected].

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