RAILS is recruiting a Senior Immigration Solicitor with an unrestricted practicing certificate to assist women experiencing domestic and family violence. The successful application will staff the Temporary Visa Pilot Program (TVPP) that RAILS delivers in partnership with Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ).

ABOUT RAILS

The Refugee and Immigration Legal Service (RAILS) is a community legal centre based in South Brisbane. For over 40 years, RAILS has provided free legal assistance and education in immigration and refugee law to people in Queensland.

RAILS assists some of the most vulnerable people in our community, predominantly refugees, asylum seekers and people who have experienced family violence. RAILS strives to empower them and help them find and remain in safety.

RAILS is a member of Community Legal Centres Australia and is registered as a Charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for Profit Commission.

RAILS is seeking a lawyer with immigration law experience who enjoys working in collaboration and partnership other organisations and who is open to working in a partner organisation’s workspace.

ABOUT Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ)

WLSQ provides high quality legal and social support services to women, specialising in the areas of family law, domestic violence, child safety matters, financial abuse legal protection and sexual assault. WLSQ is committed to the creation of a society in which every woman is safe from violence, is able to tell her story and have it heard and respected and receives a fair and just outcome from legal and social welfare systems.

TEMPORARY VISA PILOT PROGRAM

WLSQ and RAILS are participating in a pilot program supporting women on temporary visas who are experiencing domestic and family violence (the Temporary Visa Pilot Program (TVPP)). Through this program family law and immigration legal support is provided to women eligible for the pilot, by lawyers from RAILS and WLSQ with complementary expertise, working collaboratively for the benefit of clients experiencing complex and intersecting family law and immigration issues.

This senior solicitor will be based at the Women’s Legal Service Queensland (WLSQ) city office, working as part of an innovative partnership between RAILS and WLSQ. The senior solicitor will be responsible for undertaking direct legal services and conducting complex migration matters for women within the Temporary Visa Pilot Program (TVPP) team and will also work closely with the WLSQ family law solicitor to ensure that women are provided with holistic and comprehensive immigration and family law advice, particularly where their immigration and family law issues intersect.

ABOUT THE POSITION

• Job Title: Senior Solicitor (unrestricted practicing certificate required, post admission experience five years plus preferred)
• Hours: Full-time preferred, ongoing position
• Salary: Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award, Level 6: From $102,504 plus additional 11% superannuation
• Responsible to: Senior Supervising Solicitor
• Direct reports: paralegals, legal volunteers, law students
• Work arrangements: In person from WLSQ office in Brisbane City. WFH one day of the working week is an option

RAILS is seeking a senior solicitor on their unrestricted practicing certificate. Immigration law experience is preferred with in-depth knowledge and experience providing advice and representing clients in the following areas highly desirable:

• Family violence provisions in the Migration Regulations (Department and Tribunal level);
• Protection visas, partner visas (Department and Tribunal level);
• Ministerial intervention requests.

Some experience providing student and skilled visa advice would also be an advantage, as would a background or interest in family law and family violence issues, and an openness to developing expertise and understanding in this area of law.

RAILS requires a dedicated, flexible and positive professional who enjoys providing high quality legal services to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, is able to effectively communicate with people who are culturally and linguistically diverse and experience several layers of disadvantage and who enjoys working collaboratively, in partnership with another organisation. The successful applicant will also have an ability to work through complex issues (including providing advice to clients, making decisions about opening files and lodging of visa applications) dynamically and autonomously. In addition, the successful applicant will have an ability to solve complex legal problems collaboratively as part of the TVPP team.

REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

• ongoing position
• an attractive remuneration package from $102,504.00 with an additional 11% superannuation;
• flexible working arrangements;
• generous leave entitlements (paid parental leave, cultural and special leave provisions; portable long service leave) including additional paid leave over end of year shut down; an
• attractive no cost salary sacrifice options.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

RAILS is committed to being a culturally safe and inclusive organisation and has policies in place to create and maintain appropriate work practices and a respectful work environment. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and otherwise culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply for this role.

Please let us know if you would like us to share our Cultural Safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People Policy with you before applying for this role by emailing [email protected] with Attention Joanna Cull: Senior Solicitor position in the subject line.

If you are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or otherwise culturally and linguistically diverse and would like to speak to us about the role requirements and your application before applying, please email [email protected] with Attention Joanna Cull: TVPP Job ad.

This recruitment process is strictly confidential and information about your application will not be shared with anyone outside of the organisation.

SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Holder of an unrestricted practicing certificate in Queensland or ability to immediately gain registration, ideally with 5 years post admission experience.
2. Be registered on the High Court’s Register of Practitioners.
3. In-depth knowledge of immigration law and practice at the Department and Tribunal level and ideally at the Ministerial Intervention level. Experience working with clients relying on the family violence provisions, seeking to apply for protection (asylum) and experience providing skilled and student visa advice preferred. A background or interest in family law would also be an advantage.
4. Ability to advocate effectively on behalf of clients.
5. Ability to work within the casework guidelines of RAILS, the Australian solicitor conduct rules and autonomously manage decision making in relation to a large advice/case load.
6. Ability to supervise early career lawyers, paralegals, law student volunteers and university clinic students.
7. Ability to work efficiently and as an effective team member and to work collaboratively with a partner organisation.
8. Understanding of issues facing culturally diverse communities and ability to work and communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
9. Demonstrated commitment to, and understanding of, the principles social justice and the role of a community legal centre within a social justice framework.

Successful applicants may be required to complete additional clearance checks.

The senior solicitor position at RAILS is available for immediate start and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible indicating their availability to start in the role.

RAILS will begin assessing applications on receipt. Any questions about this position should be directed to [email protected]email address including "Attention Joanna Cull: TVPP job ad enquiry via EthicalJobs" in the subject line. Joanna Cull will be the contact person for this position and will be available to discuss further details about this position as required.