ABOUT Lawright | Homelessness law and multicultural law

LawRight’s Community & Health Justice Partnerships | Homelessness Law and Multicultural Law implements a best-practice, outreach-based, trauma-informed assistance model to address legal issues pushing people into homelessness and creating barriers for refugees.

Recognising the benefits of integrated, holistic legal assistance, our staff lawyers are fully embedded in 8 frontline homelessness, community, and health agencies in both Brisbane and Cairns. Staff work collaboratively with frontline community workers, healthcare professionals, and pro bono lawyers to resolve legal issues connected to a person’s housing, health, money, experience of violence, and identity.

We scale the impact of our frontline, client-centred work by advocating for better laws and policies through targeted projects.

ABOUT THE ROLE

LawRight is recruiting a Senior Lawyer on a 12-month maternity leave cover contract to lead Homelessness Law’s partnership at Micah Projects and Multicultural Law’s partnership at Multicultural Australia.

The Senior Lawyer collaborates with up to approximately 80 pro bono lawyers from three law firms to provide holistic, wrap-around legal assistance. More details about Homelessness Law and Multicultural Law’s work can be found in LawRight’s Annual Report.

The Senior Lawyer supervises a paralegal, collaborates closely with pro bono lawyers, and will report directly to Stephen Grace, Director of Community & Health Justice Partnerships | Homelessness Law and Multicultural Law.

Key Duties

• Delivering and supervising casework to clients that connect to CHJP through Micah Projects and Multicultural Australia, including by:
  • Providing legal representation (advice, tasks and ongoing casework) through a trauma-informed practice framework to resolve legal issues connected to a person’s housing, health, money, an experience of violence and identity. This includes being embedded in person at Micah Projects and Multicultural Australia to run legal appointments with clients.
  • Supervising, mentoring and supporting pro bono lawyers, paralegal/s, staff and secondee lawyers, students, and volunteers.

• Overseeing and managing CHJP’s partnerships with Micah Projects and Multicultural Australia, including:
  • Making decisions about the nature of assistance provided in individual cases and manage intake of new clients, in accordance with existing policies.
  • Managing relationships with key stakeholders, including partner agencies, community agencies with referral pathways to CHJP, and pro bono law firms.
  • Working collaboratively with frontline social workers, case managers, domestic & family violence workers, financial counsellors, and allied health professionals to deliver holistic responses to resolve issues pushing a person into homelessness and creating barriers for refugees.
  • Strengthening and sharing existing knowledge of relevant areas of law through research and resource development to improve delivery of legal advice and casework.
  • Identifying and coordinating additional pro bono opportunities with LawRight's member firms and barristers.
  • Escalating risk and legal practice management issues to the Director.

• Support the successful implementation of Community & Health Justice Partnership projects, including by:
  • Researching, collating and drafting legal content for current and future Homelessness Law and Multicultural Law projects.
  • Coordinating pro bono and staff lawyers to research, draft and review legal content for our projects using a co-designed, human-centred approach to ensure information is accessible.
  • Engaging with external stakeholders in connection with advocating for better laws and policies.
  • Promoting projects through LawRight’s existing networks of pro bono lawyers and community partners.
  • Coordinating and delivering regular training and information sessions to frontline workers, including as part of our Everyday Legal Training for Frontline Workers.

• Assist with the general running of LawRight and participate in the general activities of LawRight.

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES

• Experience working in consumer protection, domestic violence, housing and tenancy, fines and infringements matters is highly desired but not necessary.
• Experience working in a legal service that assists marginalised clients, with the delivery of services in an outreach location an advantage.
• Knowledge of the legal issues faced by people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage, with an understanding of the issues impacting homelessness.
• High level spoken and written communication skills.
• High level organisational and computer skills.

Other requirements for the role

• Admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland or capable of immediate admission.
• Holder of current unrestricted QLS Practicing Certificate (or interstate equivalent).
• Minimum 3 years post-admission experience desirable.

REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

• 6 weeks of annual leave per annum plus leave loading as well as additional paid leave during the Christmas closure.
• Full time staff work a 36.25 hour week and we offer flexible working arrangements with the ability to work from home on agreed days.

As LawRight is a public benevolent institution staff are eligible to salary sacrifice a portion of their base salary (currently capped at $30,000) and ‘meal entertainment’ expenses.

Questions about the role and applications can be directed to [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Lawyer, LawRight’s Community & Health Justice Partnerships (Micah Projects & Multicultural Law) enquiry via Ethical Jobs.

A position description is attached.

LawRight encourages First Nations applicants, people from diverse backgrounds, and people with disabilities to apply and seeks to be an inclusive and welcoming employer.

Click "Apply now" to submit your application.