• Reporting to: Senior Lawyer; Office Manager
• Classification: AO4 (base level SCHaDS Level 3), plus 11.5% superannuation ($75,091.00 - $85,611.00)
• Position: Full-time (38 hours per week) or 0.8 FTE preferred

ABOUT TEWLS

The Top End Women’s Legal Service (‘TEWLS’) is a not-for-profit, specialist women’s legal service focused on the advancement of women’s rights. We provide integrated, holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally secure free legal and support services to women and non-binary people living in the Top End of the Northern Territory (primarily, the Greater Darwin region). We are an accredited community legal centre and a member of Women’s Legal Services Australia.

TEWLS provides legal and support services in the areas of family, migration and civil law, with specific expertise held in respect of domestic, family and sexual violence (‘DFSV’). As a specialist DFSV legal service, our multidisciplinary team provides legal advice, casework and representation (litigation), legal information and referral, and wraparound support services to our clients, with expertise in assisting clients with intersectional vulnerabilities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse women, migrant women, women experiencing DFSV, women with a disability, and women experiencing financial disadvantage. Our client-centred practice model maintains a significant DFSV and family law legal practice, as well as migration law and an extensive civil law practice including in areas of tenancy and public housing, discrimination, sexual harassment, consumer law, complaints, child protection, and employment law.

TEWLS also provides community legal education and input on law and policy development to build government and community capacity to work towards deeper legal and cultural change to redress power imbalances and address violence and gender inequality.

In 2025, TEWLS is expanding our service capacity to provide legal and support services to more women than ever before across the Top End.

POSITION SUMMARY

As an essential part of the TEWLS team and under the dual supervision of one of TEWLS’ Senior Lawyers and the TEWLS Office Manager, the Paralegal and Intake Officer will undertake client intake, as well as provide legal assistance to TEWLS’ legal practice to ensure the provision of quality legal services to clients, including in the assistance of legal advice and casework preparation, provision of legal information and referral services, and preparation of research, written documents and correspondence.

The Paralegal and Intake Officer will provide high quality and culturally appropriate legal, administrative and customer service support to the service and its client base, critical to the successful running of TEWLS. Critically, the Paralegal and Intake Officer will have the skills and/or capacity to upskill to sensitively take instructions from clients who have experienced and/or are experiencing DFSV, child sexual abuse and other forms of discrimination and abuse by way of trauma-informed best practice principles and provide limited information and referral options within a trauma-informed framework.

As part of TEWLS’ growing structure, the Paralegal & Intake Officer will receive support and training to aid their development whilst working towards the service’s purpose of facilitating access to justice for women. Organisational and administrative responsibilities are also a component of this position.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Client intake

• Performing client intake, including capturing and triaging enquiries from new and returning TEWLS clients received via phone, email and/or warm referral from referral agencies, making client appointments, and facilitating referrals to other agencies/service as required.
• Providing efficient and effective customer service to clients, including making client bookings and contributing to the maintenance of the TEWLS electronic office diary.
• Liaising with clients and agencies to obtain all necessary documents and information to enable effective provision of legal advice and/or assistance.
• Acquiring and/or maintaining strong working relationships and knowledge of stakeholder roles and services available to clients.

Paralegal support

• Providing paralegal support to TEWLS’ legal practice, including drafting, legal research, and receipt of instructions, as directed.
• Developing and/or maintaining knowledge of TEWLS’ core practice areas; DFSV, family law, and migration law.

Data and record keeping

• Entering/recording client and project data in the TEWLS Centre database (CLASS) efficiently and within allocated timeframes.
• Ensuring filing and record-keeping systems and maintained and current, including TEWLS’ electronic file management system (MFiles).
• Ensuring the security and confidentiality of data.
• Contributing to the review and development of TEWLS record keeping processes, including templates.

Organisational responsibilities

• Accurately capturing all legal and non-legal service data through TEWLS’ internal data and file management systems.
• Attending regular TEWLS staff meetings and planning day sessions as required.
• Undertaking ongoing professional development in accordance with TEWLS’ policies and procedures, and in consultation with allocated supervisor/s.
• Participating in regular performance discussions and development reviews.
• Ensuring compliance with TEWLS’ policies and procedures.
• Undertaking personal administrative duties within TEWLS as required.
• Such other projects, activities and duties that may be determined in collaboration with the TEWLS Chief Executive Officer and Principal Lawyer.

REQUIREMENTS

• Progressing attainment of a Bachelor of Laws/Juris Doctor or experience in a relevant field will be highly regarded.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

• A commitment to promoting the interests of women.
• An understanding or capacity to develop an understanding and commitment to working in a trauma-informed framework.
• Ability and/or capacity to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders in a confident and a respectful manner including culturally and linguistically diverse persons, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons.
• Ability to deliver high quality customer/client service.
• Ability to perform and interact as an efficient and productive team member.
• High level verbal and written communication skills, including a genuine and welcoming phone manner.
• Proven initiative and organisational abilities, including time management skills and the ability to prioritise in a pressured environment.
• Commitment to professional and personal development, and willingness to develop further professional skills relevant to the workplace.
• Ability to deal with confidential and sensitive issues with discretion and integrity.
• Holder of a current open driver’s licence.
• Aptitude in using Microsoft computers and Microsoft Office programs (such as Word and Excel) necessary to complete required tasks, and a willingness to perform administrative duties, as required.
• Ability to provide and/or obtain a Northern Territory Ochre Card.

Desirable:

• An understanding of DFSV violence through a gendered violence lens.
• An understanding of legal issues facing women in the Northern Territory, including barriers to justice, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women, migrant women, and women experiencing DFSV.
• Demonstrated resilience in working with clients who are experiencing or have experienced traumatic events.
• Demonstrated experience in a legal environment, including data entry and electronic filing management systems.
• Knowledge of services for women and children in the NT, including legal and non-legal support services.
• Relevant experience in the development and delivery of community legal education, law reform and lobbying will be highly regarded.
• Demonstrated language skills other than English will be highly regarded.

TO APPLY

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to apply for the position, please email Rachael Hillier, Office Manager, at [email protected] using the subject line: Paralegal and Intake Officer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.

TEWLS is committed to working together to achieve a more inclusive community. Our workplace strives to be one that embraces and celebrates diversity and the wide range of skills, expertise and experience we can all bring to strengthen our dynamic, collaborative and responsive environment.

TEWLS encourages people from all backgrounds to apply, particularly those that identify as part of LGBTIQA+ community, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and people with disabilities.