ABOUT LEGAL AID NSW

Legal Aid NSW is the largest legal aid agency in Australia, comprising of a Central Sydney office and 25 regional offices in metropolitan and regional centres across NSW and a number of specialist services and advice clinics. Working at Legal Aid NSW provides the opportunity to support people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women and children, Indigenous people and people with mental illness who may experience difficulties when enforcing and defending their rights.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are currently looking for solicitors to fill two temporary positions within Lismore’s Civil Law Team. One is a specialist housing/homelessness outreach role and one is a generalist civil law role. This is a generalist civil law role.

The position is responsible for:

• Providing high quality advice, minor assistance, casework and legal education services to disadvantaged communities in a range of areas such as housing consumer, fines, mental health, human rights, employment, social security, and other areas of civil law.
• Conducting an efficient and effective legal practice; and
• Complying with the Legal Aid Commission Act, policies and practice management standards and undertake all related administrative and case management activities.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for passionate solicitors to provide targeted legal services in areas of law to socially and economically disadvantaged communities across Northern NSW. You will deliver high quality legal services, including via outreach, in areas such as housing, consumer, fines, mental health, human rights, employment, social security, and other areas of civil law. Your strong communication skills will enable you to communicate effectively with clients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, clients with mental health issues and disabilities, and a diverse range of stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Admission or eligibility for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
• Ability to provide a valid Practising Certificate upon commencement
• Willingness to undertake a Criminal Record Check and/or working with Children Check
• Hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Resident or hold a valid working visa
• Hold current NSW Driver's Licence
• Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to commencement

How to Apply

Applications MUST be submitted online through www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au to be considered. No late applications will be accepted.

Applicants should read the Role Description and consider the Focus Capabilities and Key Accountabilities when preparing their resume and cover letter.

Applicants are requested to attach:

• Current resume / curriculum vitae (CV) (maximum 5 pages)
• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages) responding to the following two questions:

1. Please outline your knowledge of and experience in providing civil law services in one or more of the following areas of civil law: housing, consumer, fines, mental health, human rights, employment or social security.
2. What are the challenges in representing socially and/or economically disadvantaged clients and how would you overcome them?

The selection process will include a range of comparative assessment techniques to assist in determining capability and suitability for the role.

This recruitment will be used to fill any current vacancies and may be used to create a Talent Pool for similar future temporary or ongoing vacancies that may arise over the next 18 months. If you are interested in ongoing roles you should apply.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Legal Aid NSW welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds, including people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTI community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities.

Legal Aid NSW provides dignified access to accommodate the diverse needs of our community. We acknowledge and support the access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities, as such all of our offices are accessible.

If you require a reasonable adjustment in order to participate in the recruitment process, or you are looking for general information about our reasonable adjustment process, please contact our team via email, and advise your preferred method of communication: [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor - Civil Law - Lismore enquiry via EthicalJobs.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• 2x Temporary Opportunities at 21-35 hours per week with possibility of becoming ongoing
• Enquiries: Fiona Pace on (02) 6621 2082
• Applying for a Role
• Working at Legal Aid NSW

To ensure recruitment at Legal Aid NSW continues without interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual methods may be used for interviews and assessments. This may include interviews conducted by video, telephone interviewing, Microsoft Teams meetings and online assessments.