Job description 

This is a part-time contract 20-25 hours per week for 12 months, with the possibility of extension. 

We are open to considering a higher award level and/or additional hours for candidates who can contribute to project work and other areas of service delivery. Please see our other advertised positions.

Location

We are recruiting applicants for two positions:

• One based in our Kurilpa (South Brisbane) office to support our Magandjin-based team and our work across Greater Brisbane and the South-East Queensland region
• One working on Darumbal Country (Rockhampton) to support our new Principal Solicitor, who will be working from the Central Queensland Community Legal Centre office on Quay Street.

Remuneration and Benefits

• Level 3 Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award
• Annual Salary $74,000-$79,000 (pro rata) per annum excluding super and salary packaging options
• Staff are eligible to salary sacrifice a portion of their base salary (up to $15,900 per annum) 
• Four weeks of annual leave per year plus leave loading, as well as additional paid leave during the Christmas closure 
• We offer flexible working arrangements with the ability to work from home on agreed days, balancing the needs of staff and the organisation 
• Access to internal and external supervision and mentorship, including choice of mentors to meet individuals’ specific cultural needs.
• For staff located outside of South-East Queensland: paid travel to Magandjin (Brisbane) for training, team-building, stakeholder networking and professional development

An opportunity to work for a unique and vital service

The LGBTI Legal Service is a statewide specialist community legal service established by and for the LGBTIQA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy community in Queensland.

Recognising the significant gaps in culturally safe and inclusive services for LGBTIQA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy people, we use a ‘no wrong door’ approach to supporting community members seeking help. We aim to break down barriers to accessing legal and other support services, brokering solutions and referral pathways for LGBTIQA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy people in Queensland (and around Australia) no matter what problems they present with.

We provide information, referrals, advice and (limited) representation across a wide range of legal problems, with the majority of problems falling under the areas of discrimination, employment, family law, domestic violence and criminal law.

About the role

This is a paralegal/peer navigator role working with clients who make initial contact with the service. The paralegal/peer navigator will provide support in all areas of the legal practice and projects.

Some key duties

• Respond to enquiries and triage/assess legal and non-legal needs of people seeking assistance in a culturally safe and trauma-informed way.  
• Provide appropriate referrals, information and self-help resources to clients and other enquirers.  
• Develop and foster two-way referral relationships with legal and non-legal services.
• Support provision of legal assistance by employed and volunteer lawyers by booking appointments, liaising with volunteer lawyers and pro-bono partners, booking appointments and attending to follow up.   
• Assist with the development and delivery of knowledge resources, precedents and procedures of the service, as well as community legal education resources.  

Some essential requirements

• Good interpersonal and communication skills (both written and oral), including the ability to communicate sensitively and appropriately with intersectionally marginalised clients.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of legal and social issues affecting LGBTIQA+ Sistergirl and Brotherboy people, or ability to rapidly acquire relevant knowledge.  
• Ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of referral and information sources relevant to people seeking legal and other assistance.  
• Demonstrated ability to provide administrative support with a good level of computer literacy in MS Office apps and competency accurately entering data into databases.

For more information please refer to the Position Description attached.

Law students and graduates are welcome to apply; however, experience in law or legal practice through study or work experience is not a prerequisite. We welcome applicants from lived experience and peer support roles in the community sector, including health, mental health, HIV, sex work, AOD, homelessness and housing, youth, disability and aged care services and advocacy organisations.

Why LGBTI Legal Service?

The LGBTI Legal Service is the first specialist community legal centre of its kind and is the only LGBTIQA+ community-controlled legal service in Australia. LGBTI Legal Service is the only law firm or legal service in Australia to have achieved Rainbow Tick accreditation. The Rainbow Tick recognises the service’s commitment to safe and inclusive practices and service delivery for the LGBTIQA+ community.

Last year we assisted more than 500 people to access legal help and connected with over 5000 people at community events across Queensland from the Gold Coast to Gimuy. We are a small but growing team, supported by recent investments in our core legal services and project work, and the recent recognition of LGBTIQA+ people as a priority cohort in legal assistance funding and service provision.

Learn more about us: www.lgbtilegalservice.org.au and by downloading our recent Annual Report: Annual Reports - LGBTI Legal Service

Our commitment to an inclusive workplace

LGBTI Legal Service is committed to providing an inclusive and affirming workplace where staff can bring their whole selves to work and feel that they belong. We value the skills and perspectives of our diverse team, seek to identify early opportunities for support and invest in the learning and development of the team through internal and external supervision and mentorship and peer-to-peer learning.

As a small organisation, we are on a journey to embed our team’s commitment to disability inclusion, anti-racism, and First Nations cultural safety and solidarity throughout our policies, systems and communications, and progressing this work will be a key focus in 2025.

We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply, including but not limited to people of diverse genders, bodies, sexualities and kinship relationships; people with innate variations in sex characteristics; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, including queer First Nations people, Brotherboys and Sistergirls; people from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds; neurodivergent people and people with disability; sex workers, and people living with HIV.

Both the South Brisbane and Rockhampton offices are accessible for people who use mobility devices, and we welcome enquiries about accessibility features and accommodations that can be made.

We have a range of strategies to meet the needs of different people in our hiring processes and welcome suggestions on how to tailor these for you.

How to apply

Attach:

• A resume of up to 2 pages
• A cover letter of up to 2 pages addressing the following questions:
  • What values would you bring to the organisation?
  • Which key responsibilities are you well-placed to take on?
  • What skills and capabilities can you bring to the role?

Tips for writing your cover letter:

• Pick no more than 3 of the key responsibilities/skills and capabilities in the Position Description – you do not need to respond to all elements of the PD.
• Refer to your previous experience and give examples.
• Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

Enquiries

We welcome questions about the role and the application process.

Please contact Jo Sampford ([email protected] using the subject line: Paralegal / Peer Navigators x2 - South Brisbane / Rockhampton enquiry via EthicalJobs | 0404 454 798).