SUMMARY

• Must have at least 3 years post-admission experience within Australia. Experience in Tasmania is highly desirable.
• Will play a significant role in access to justice for students at the University of Tasmania.
• Work from the University of Tasmania (TUSA Office) in Hobart, and remotely as part of Youth Law Australia’s national practice.
• Fixed-term contract with possibility of extension.
• Most likely part-time but will consider applicants looking for a full-time position, as well as flexibility, secondment and/or job-share.

YOUTH LAW AUSTRALIA (YLA)

YLA is a national, specialist children’s and youth Community Legal Centre. We provide high quality, free and confidential legal assistance services to children, young people and their advocates nationally in all areas of the law.

YLA aims to enhance children and young people’s access to and engagement with their legal rights; assistance to exercise these rights; and to remedies when these rights are violated. YLA’s objective is to fulfill these aims by providing appropriate and targeted legal information, advice, education, representation and advocacy.

YLA is an accessible, technology-enabled and highly collaborative service that specialises in preventing and intervening early in young people’s legal problems and connecting young people with legal solutions.

TUSA STUDENT LEGAL SERVICE

The Tasmanian University Student Association (TUSA) is a student-led collective dedicated to student leadership and the student community. TUSA offers a range of services, equipment, and facilities including:

• Lobbying and representation on issues to students
• Independent support and advocacy
• Financial support and counselling
• Social connection through our 130+ Clubs and Societies, and Student led events.
• Great facilities like Clubs & Societies meeting rooms, kitchen and lounge areas equipped with a ping pong table, Wii, and board games.
• Safe spaces and Women’s Space, Queer Space, and Parenting Rooms

YLA is very excited to partner with TUSA to establish an independent legal service to give free and confidential legal information, advice and assistance to students at the University of Tasmania.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Solicitor will manage the TUSA Student Legal Service, providing generalist legal advice and assistance within the service’s terms of reference. The role will include working with the UTAS School of Law to provide clinical legal education experience to law students.

The Solicitor will report to and work under the supervision of YLA’s Principal Solicitor and will work closely with YLA’s Director, fellow solicitors, pro bono solicitors, law student volunteers, interns and trainees to provide in-person, online and phone-based legal information, advice and assistance. Because YLA’s practice is paperless and delivered via YLA’s bespoke technology platform, collaboration, support and supervision occurs within an Australia-wide online network of lawyers and law student volunteers.

We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all positions.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide timely and accurate legal information, advice and assistance in a range of civil, administrative, criminal, and family law contexts.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the TUSA Student Legal Service.
• Support the delivery and supervision of quality legal work experience for a team of UTAS law student volunteers and interns.
• Help ensure YLA’s legal practice and risk management requirements are met and records are properly maintained.
• Assist with reporting to funding bodies, partners and the Board.
• Assist in maintaining and developing relationships with University stakeholders, pro bono providers, legal centres, youth organisations, referral agencies and other professional bodies.
• Undertake general administrative duties.
• Such other work as the Board or Management Team may reasonably require.

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Must have, or be eligible for, an unrestricted practicing certificate in an Australian jurisdiction and have at least 3 years of post-admission experience within Australia.
• Experience in Tasmania will be highly regarded.
• Experience providing generalist legal services, or a demonstrated capability to develop a broad knowledge of and practice in the law. This role will suit a lawyer with experience as an employee or volunteer in a community legal centre, at Legal Aid, or in another not-for-profit organisation.

• Demonstrated ability to work without close supervision, set priorities, organise and manage own workloads and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, and an ability to support, supervise and train junior lawyers and student volunteers, interns and practical legal trainees.

The successful applicant will be asked to undertake a national criminal record check and aworking with children check.

For further information, please email [email protected], using the subject line: Solicitor / Senior Solicitor - TUSA Student Legal Service enquiry via EthicalJobs to arrange a call with Senior Solicitor, Meredith Hagger or Principal Solicitor, Ahram Choi.