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Principal Solicitor

Darwin Community Legal Service

Darwin Community Legal Service (DCLS) is a community-based organisation committed to legal and social justice in the Northern Territory.

We are looking for an experienced legal professional as our Principal Solicitor. The Principal Solicitor position aims to ensure that the legal practice delivers quality, accessible legal help and is striving, energetic and effective in advancing social justice.

The Principal Solicitor is responsible for the DCLS legal practice as a whole. The legal practice consists of the General Legal Service (GLS) and the Tenant’s Advice Service (TAS) and the Principal Solicitor is responsible for relevant aspects relating to the DCLS Seniors and Disability Rights Service (SDRS) in accordance with the Community Legal Centres Australia Risk Management Guide.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will have:

  • Admission to practice as legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of Northern Territory holding unrestricted practising certificate or eligible for an unrestricted practising certificate
  • Experience in helping disadvantaged people, eg, through pro-bono/volunteer work or community legal centres
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead, build relationships, negotiate, influence and educate internal and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds
  • Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and manage competing priorities
  • Experience in managing people and leading a team

The role

The Principal Solicitor will:

  • Be responsible for the DCLS legal practice as a whole
  • Provide leadership, management and supervision
  • Carry an appropriate legal caseload
  • Encourage, support and empower staff and volunteers, and
  • Promote positive teamwork, collaboration and creativity.
  • Lead the team’s reform agenda to promote systemic change and improve accessibility, laws and processes for our clients.
  • Manage relationships with a range of stakeholders that includes partners, governments and funders.
  • Work closely with the Executive Director and will collaborate and contribute to the wider organisational strategy to ensure best practice, accountability and impact.

Key Areas of Responsibility

  • Lead the DCLS legal practice to deliver and maximise services and positive impacts consistent with DCLS objectives and strategic plan, funding agreements, legal professional requirements, Community Legal Centres Australia Risk Management Guide, National Legal Assistance Data Standards and the DCLS Eligibility and Priority Guidelines.
  • Manage and mitigate risk across the service in conjunction with the Team Leaders, Executive Director and Admin/HR Manager.
  • Develop, maintain and implement policies and practices that guide and support the legal practice including case and client management.
  • Actively promote a culture of continuous improvement whereby quality standards and high levels of client and stakeholder service are consistently met.
  • Maintain, enhance and evaluate DCLS’s collaborative community legal education (CLE) efforts.
  • Maintain awareness of the political, social and economic environment and seize opportunities to ensure that DCLS is at the forefront of pursuing access to justice, including emphasising voice, participation and resources for our community.

The role is full-time 38 hours per week to commence late November 2021 negotiable.

This is a fixed-term contract position for 2 years with an option to renew depending on funding. A generous salary package is available.

Contact us to request the Position Description containing Selection Criteria, at [email protected] using the subject line: Principal Solicitor enquiry via EthicalJobs or call 8982 1111.

OR

Download the Principal Solicitor Position Description attached or from: https://www.dcls.org.au/join-us/employment/

DCLS pays above award wages and salary packaging is available. Superannuation 10%, 6 week’s annual leave (or pro-rata), and generous conditions.

DCLS is an equal opportunity employer.

How to apply

This job ad has now expired, and applications are no longer being accepted.
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