Salary Offering: $84,357.55 - $90,357.55 per annum., depending on experience, plus Superannuation

Additional Benefits:

• 17.5% Leave Loading
• 5 extra days leave on top of 20 days annual leave
• Only required to work 35 hours per week, any extra hours worked will be calculated as your Time In Lieu (TOIL) – which you may use as additional leave hours
• Access to company vehicles for any work-related trips
• Salary packaging of up to $15,900+ per FBT available via Maxxia

Office Locations: High Street, Preston

This position will require travel across Metropolitan Melbourne and some regional travel

This role is full-time fixed term for 12 months

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE:

The Lawyer for the Balit Ngulu team provides high quality legal services, including duty lawyer services, representation, advice, and information in criminal law matters to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people (up to 21 years old) in Victoria.

Key Performance Indicators, Duties & Responsibility

• Under the supervision of the Principal Managing Lawyer, plan and deliver a quality legal service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth in Metropolitan Melbourne and its neighbouring areas at various courts including the Children’s Court Criminal Division, Magistrates Court and Koori Courts in order to represent clients of Balit Ngulu Legal Service.
• Participate in community legal education projects, law reform and other Balit Ngulu projects as required.
• Maintain positive and collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, including Victoria Legal Aid, pro bono law firms, the Victorian Bar and other community organisations from both the legal and non-legal sectors.
• Keep up to date with relevant legal developments and procedures by attending professional legal education programs and maintain an understanding of broader issues impacting the youth justice system and members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth Communities.
• As directed, undertake other duties which are incidental and peripheral to the main tasks, provided that such duties are reasonably within the employee’s skills, competence and training.
• You may also be required to travel across regional Victoria to deliver services to the Victorian Aboriginal youth communities. Sometimes this travel will occur outside of usual business hours.
• Other duties as required.

Personal accountability

• Compliance with all VALS Values, code of conduct, policies and procedures and relevant government legislation and standards where relevant.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the principles of social justice and aim to ensure every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their background, ability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or religion
• Ensure appropriate use of resources
• Actively participate in initiatives to maintain, build upon and promote a positive and collaborative workplace.
• Take reasonable care for your own health & safety, and health and safety of others (to extent required)
• Promptly respond to and report health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses to management.

Attend mandatory training sessions (i.e. Equal employment opportunity, health and safety, cultural safety) and mandatory training specific to position.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Admitted to practice as a legal practitioner in Victoria.
2. Knowledge of and practical experience in the law and court procedures with a focus on the Youth Justice System.
3. A commitment to and understanding of the youth legal issues faced by members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth Communities in Victoria.
4. Capacity to work as an advocate and caseworker in complex matters
5. The ability to work collaboratively with others and to foster a co-operative and supportive team environment
6. Sound interpersonal skills and the capacity to communicate effectively with members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth community
7. A knowledge of the principles and values of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Services
8. Ability to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and acknowledge their diverse backgrounds, personalities and varying needs and the unique cultural ways in which they may be expressed
9. Demonstrated computer literacy skills and proficiency using the Microsoft Office and other relevant software. The capacity to quickly acquire competency in the of VALS’s client data base (ActionStep).
10. Experience working in the non-profit sector.

Desirable

• At least 18 months post- admission experience.
• A member, or eligible to be a member, of Victoria Legal Aid’s Youth Crime practitioner panel.

Qualifications - Required.

Admitted, or eligible for admission, as a legal practitioner in Victoria

Key Capabilities

Provides high quality legal advice and representation.

• Analyses the situation and formulates the legal question to be answered.
• Listens attentively - shows empathy when appropriate.
• Develops and fosters positive working relationships both internally and externally.
• Develops expertise in areas of specialisation.
• Gains insight into the client and stakeholder needs, priorities and expectations.

Ensures files are up to date and easily accessible to the relevant line manager

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:

On offer of this position, you must provide:

• Copy of your current Employee Working with Children Card.
• You will be required to complete a current Criminal History Police Check.
• Up to date vaccination certificate or valid medical exemption
• Proof of rights to work in Australia, i.e., a copy of an Australian Passport, Birth Certificate, or Immigration VISA documentation
• Current valid Australian Driver’s Licence