• Women’s Legal Service Victoria | Melbourne CBD | Immediate start | Hybrid working model | Full time| 12 months Maximum Term
• Be a part of a feminist community legal service supporting Victorian women.
• Your expertise will directly contribute to building a more gender-equitable society.
• Competitive remuneration, 5 weeks annual leave and flexible work arrangements.

About Us

For over 40 years Women’s Legal Service Victoria (Women’s Legal) has championed women’s rights to live free from violence. We are a dedicated team with a passion for working with women and non-binary people to live free from violence and discrimination by:

• Providing high quality integrated legal services for Victorian women and non-binary people who are victim-survivors of family violence and disadvantaged or marginalised by structural and systemic barriers.

• Building the capacity of professionals who work with women and non-binary people, to better understand the law and navigate the legal system safely.

• Advancing gender equality by challenging unsafe and discriminatory policies and laws and informing and advocating for legal and policy initiatives that respect and promote the rights of women and non-binary people.

About the Role

Reporting to Legal Counsel (Family Violence and Family Law), you will provide high quality legal expertise to the development and delivery of best practice training and capacity building for lawyers and professionals to respond appropriately to the needs of women experiencing relationship breakdown or violence.

Role responsibilities include:

• Providing high level subject matter expertise in family violence and/or family law, crime, migration or child protection to the Education and Engagement Program
• Contributing your subject matter expertise to collaborations with other members of the Education and Engagement Program to develop evidence-based and best practice training and capacity building programs, including the development of e-Learning packages.
• Contributing to the delivery of professional development activities (e.g., supervision, mentoring, shadowing) for lawyers participating in Women’s Legal training and sector development programs.
• Collaborating with partner organisations to deliver programs that meet the needs of community lawyers.
• Maintaining a small caseload of legal matters spanning family violence, and/or family law, victims of crime, child protection and/or participate in some rostered duty services.

About You

You will be a skilled and collaborative lawyer with a commitment to delivering high-quality legal education. You excel in working as part of a team and bring a proactive and solutions-focused approach to your work. Your strong technical expertise is matched by your ability to foster positive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.

Key to your success is your:

• Experience in contributing legal knowledge and skills to the development and delivery of training to lawyers and professionals working with women at risk of experiencing family violence.
• Experience in litigation and court advocacy in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, Magistrates Court, Children’s Court and/or Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal
• Strong advice, litigation, mediation, and negotiation skills in family violence and/or, family law, criminal law, law and/or child protection law and migration law
• Experience and/or ability to mentor and support other lawyers and foster great working relationships with colleagues

You will:

• Have a minimum of 4 years post admission experience in family law, family violence, child protection or migration.
• Have experience working with women experiencing family violence.
• Hold an unrestricted practising certificate or have the ability to obtain one.

Why Women’s Legal?

In return for your dedication, we offer:

• Competitive remuneration
• 5 weeks annual leave, plus bonus leave between Christmas and New Year!
• Paid parental leave and reproductive health leave
• Cultural leave
• A strong commitment to your professional development, personal development, and wellbeing
• A hybrid working model and a flexible working environment that supports work/non-work balance
• NFP salary packaging benefits (up to $15,900 in tax-free pay every year) plus meal and entertainment benefits (up to $2,650 tax-free pay per year)
• Fresh fruit available in the office
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program

To apply

Submit a resume and completed candidate application form. We will begin shortlisting immediately, so please apply as soon as possible.

Research shows that women are less likely to apply for roles if they don’t meet 100% of the selection criteria. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the criteria, but this role sounds like a good fit for you.

Please note, non-lawyers employed by Women’s Legal Service Victoria are required to comply with Section 121 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law.

All successful candidates will be required to produce a national criminal history check prior to the commencement of their employment.

Enquiries

Enquiries can be emailed to Ruth McKendrick, HR Officer at [email protected] using the subject line: Senior Lawyer - Training and Legal Education enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We recognise our work benefits greatly from the unique knowledge, skills and expertise of individuals with diverse experiences, including those with lived experience of family violence, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women with disability and women from migrant, refugee or non-English speaking backgrounds. If this is you, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Women's Legal relies on an exception under the Equal Opportunity Act to employ women only.

A position description is attached.