• Temporary – for a period up to 12 months with a possibility of extension
• Flexible work options available

About us 

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. Our legal services include legal advice, help at court and family dispute resolution. We can help people across NSW with most areas of criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues over the telephone, or at one of our 25 offices or two satellite offices. 

About the role

The Grade IV solicitor in Coffs Harbour will provide Civil Law legal services to vulnerable clients within a broad regional geographic area. This will involve a high level of stakeholder engagement and possible outreach services. It will also involve supervision of other staff and general management of the Civil Law practice in Coffs Harbour.

A Grade IV Legal Officer in the Civil Law Division will:

• Provide a high-quality advice, minor assistance and casework services in areas such as consumer rights, mental health, human rights, employment, housing, social security, and other areas of civil law
• Conduct an efficient and effective legal practice in accordance with the standards required by Legal Aid NSW
• Contribute to the Leadership of the Civil Law Division
• Supervise staff
• Assist people to overcome disadvantaged circumstances
• Comply with the Legal Aid Commission Act 1979, Legal Aid policies and practice management standards and undertake all related administrative and case management activities

About you

We are looking for an experienced solicitor who has Court or Tribunal experience and has worked closely with disadvantaged and vulnerable clients, including Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders.

You must have strong advocacy skills and experience dealing with complex legal matters, as well as strong negotiation skills. You must also have the demonstrated ability to manage a high-volume caseload and provide culturally safe legal services. You must have strong stakeholder engagement skills. You must be able to work independently and engage with team members from other practice areas.

You must have experience managing and supervising other solicitors, including providing guidance on their legal practice and ensuring practice management standards are being met.

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months. 

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. 

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor - Civil Law Division - Coffs Harbour enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Other benefits of working with us

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
• We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.

The essential requirements for this role

You must: 

• Be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
• Be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us
• Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you start work with us
• Be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and/or Working with Children Check
• Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)
• Demonstrated experience appearing in courts and/or tribunals as an advocate
• Demonstrated experience working with Aboriginal people
• Hold a current NSW drivers’ licence and have the ability to undertake travel to regional courts and locations

How to apply

You MUST submit your application via the 'Apply Now' button. If you submit your application late or by email, it will NOT be accepted.

Your application must include:

• Your resume (no more than 5 pages)
• Cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please respond to these two questions:
  • Outline your skills and experience working with vulnerable clients in civil law (consumer rights, mental health, human rights, employment, housing, social security, and other areas of civil law) and your experience working with stakeholders to service a local community.
  • Outline your experience and approach to supervising staff and developing and strengthening their skills.

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it.

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager – Melanie Bradfield on (02) 6651 7899 or email: [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor - Civil Law Division - Coffs Harbour enquiry via EthicalJobs.
• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch at [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor - Civil Law Division - Coffs Harbour enquiry via EthicalJobs, to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The linked Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate. 
• Click here to learn more about Applying for a Role.