• Full-time ongoing position (part-time applications considered)
• Salary range: $98,902 - $123,624 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role

Join our Dandenong team at Victoria Legal Aid as a Senior Civil Lawyer. You will work in a diverse, large team alongside another Senior Civil Lawyer, focusing on key areas including mental health and disability law, social and economic rights, NDIS, tenancy, and fines.

The Dandenong team is the largest regional VLA office providing legal services across criminal law, family violence, child protection, youth crime, family and civil law. A large team of Independent Mental Health Advocates and an Independent Family Advocate are based in the region. Legal services are provided across two Magistrates' Courts (Dandenong and Moorabbin), the Specialist Children's Court (Dandenong), the Drug Court, the Mental Health Tribunal, the AAT, VCAT and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The City of Greater Dandenong local government area is the most culturally diverse community in Australia, with residents from over 150 birth places and over 60% of its population born overseas.

In this role, you'll provide expert legal advice and represent clients in courts and tribunals, including the Mental Health Tribunal and VCAT. You'll also support clients by travelling to offsite locations, including community outreach programs and hospitals, ensuring that people who are unable to come to us still get the help they need.

Additionally, you will provide mentorship and supervision to junior lawyers, helping them grow their skills and delivering high-quality legal services together. This is a great opportunity contribute to a team, build relationships with community partners, and advocate for changes that improve access to justice.

This role is based at our Dandenong office on Bunurong Country.

About you

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• A current Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner (mandatory).
• Substantial knowledge or practical experience in civil law and relevant court and tribunal procedures. It is not essential that you be an expert in all the key practice areas noted above, training and support will be provided.
• A passion for helping vulnerable clients and a strong commitment to community engagement.
• Effective communication skills and ability to explain complex legal matters clearly to disadvantaged clients.
• Ability to supervise legal work and to mentor and train staff and contribute to the development of individuals and their knowledge and skills in civil law.

Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.

About Victoria Legal Aid

We provide legal representation to those who need it most. With over 1300 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee benefits

• Focus on work-life balance including flexible working arrangements
• Hybrid work from home & office model
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Excellent salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 and Novated Leasing
• Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please click "Apply Now" and submit your current resume and a cover letter.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team via [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Civil Lawyer enquiry via EthicalJobs.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Fatima Arjumand Mir, Acting Regional Manager on (03) 9767 7176 or [email protected].

Other relevant information

It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.

A position description is attached.