• Location: Sydney, Brisbane, Perth preferred or Australia-wide from one of our offices
• Term: 2 years with potential extension
• Full-time: 37.5 hours per week
• Remuneration: SCHADS Level 6 to 8: $107,000 - $141,668 + 11% super + 17.5% Annual Leave Loading
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are particularly encouraged to apply
• Reporting to: Managing Lawyer, Safe Climate – Corporate/Commercial

Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) is the leading environmental law practice in the Australia Pacific Region delivering legal solutions for peoples, nature and our climate. We have a big vision which is a world where nature thrives. We’ve got big ambition about the role we can play in delivering that vision and we’ve got an incredible team across the country working to achieve it.

We are dedicated to protecting our climate, communities and shared environment by providing access to justice, running ground-breaking litigation and leading law reform advocacy. Over our 30-year combined history we’ve developed a formidable track record of empowering communities and delivering effective protection of the environment through legal services.

As the region’s legal experts in our field, we aim to be a brave, unified, and focused team, committed to inclusion and excellence in all that we do. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace supporting a highly skilled, engaged, and effective team, where everyone can feel that they belong.

The opportunity

We are looking for a talented lawyer with demonstrated litigation experience to join our Safe Climate (Corporate and Commercial) team within our Systemic Change Program.

This role offers the opportunity to make an impact on climate and sustainability issues through use of corporate and consumer law. The team is working on high profile net zero and sustainability claims as well as corporate disclosure issues.

Candidate Profile

You are a litigation lawyer looking for an opportunity to use your skillset and corporate or commercial experience to work with the largest public interest environmental law centre in the region. Lawyers who think outside the box and want a chance to think creatively about delivering systemic change are strongly encouraged to apply.

You will have an unrestricted practising certificate, and strong PAE working as a lawyer with demonstrated commercial litigation experience. This position represents an opportunity to deliver on climate change and the environment and offer a high level of autonomy.

You want to work at the intersect of climate justice, human rights, the rights of First Nations and the environment and want an opportunity to make an impact for peoples and nature.

Key selection criteria

Core skills

• An unrestricted practicing certificate or entitlement to one and a minimum of 4-5 years PAE working as a solicitor including litigation, 8 years+ highly desirable
• Demonstrated experience in consumer or corporations law, administrative law preferably in the Federal Court
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make sound judgements and decisions based on consideration of different views
• Demonstrated ability to work productively and to deadlines
• Excellent oral and written communication skills suited to a range of audiences

Substantive experience:

• Demonstrated litigation experience in corporate or consumer law/or related environmental law disciplines
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and contribute to the performance of junior legal staff
• Capacity to undertake law reform or policy, experience desirable
• Demonstrated experience working with First Nations people or diverse communities and individuals highly desirable

Personal qualities and cultural competency

• A champion of the EDO values
• Strong initiative and self-motivation
• Commitment to the protection of human rights and the environment
• A strong sense of ethics and understanding of professional obligations
• Demonstrated awareness of and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of First Nations and peoples from diverse cultures, backgrounds and orientations in both the delivery of our work and our internal culture
• Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative and team-based environment

Our Culture and Benefits

• We care deeply about creating a workplace where our team members feel valued, respected, and empowered. We are committed to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or life stage. 
• The chance to be part of the largest environmental legal practice in the Australia-Pacific 
• A very flexible and family-friendly workplace 
• Option to work from home and the office 
• 8 weeks paid parental leave, regardless of gender or carer status
• 15 days personal/carer’s leave  
• 3 days paid cultural leave
• Extra leave over the Christmas period
• Access to Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Ongoing professional development opportunities 
• EDO proudly has a JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion) Committee and a Mental Health Ambassador Committee, and has developed a First Nations Program with the aid of indigenous-led consultancies. 
• Affinity groups for the following: Global Majority*, LGBTQIA+ & People with Disability
• *Global Majority is a collective term that first and foremost speaks to and encourages those so-called, to think of themselves as belonging to the majority on planet earth. It refers to people who are Black, African, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or, have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’.

Our Values

Commitment – We are committed to; a united organisation, to each other, to collaboration, to justice, to our communities and to creating a world where nature thrives. 

Diversity – We are respectful of and welcome diversity of staff, volunteers, offices, environmental regions, communities, stakeholders. 

Integrity – We work effectively, efficiently, strategically, professionally, and ethically; “justice is in our nature”. 

Vision – We lead change and environmental empowerment using innovation, creativity, and courage. 

How to Apply

Click "Apply Now" above.

Applications must include a CV and a letter that clearly addresses each of the selection criteria.

Other Information

All offers of employment may be subject to satisfactory background checks including a National Police Check, disclosure of previous or current disciplinary action, referee checks, proof of eligibility to work in Australia and qualification checks.

Please note: Your application may be considered for future roles at the EDO within the next 12 months without additional advertising. Please notify us in your application if you would not like to be considered for similar roles beyond this recruitment.

If you have any accessibility needs for the recruitment or interviewing process, please let us know in your application or by emailing [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Solicitor / Special Counsel - Safe Climate, Corporate and Commercial - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

To read the position description, please click here.