• Temporary Full Time and Part Time Contract. Role 1 until 31 August 2025 and Role 2 until 30 June 2025.
• Legal Officer Grade V (between $144,140 - $146,966 plus super and annual leave loading)
• Domestic Violence Unit team
• Location – Central Sydney Office (Haymarket), flexible work location negotiable
About us Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices.
About the Domestic Violence Unit The Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) was established in 2015 and is a specialist family and domestic violence service at Legal Aid NSW. The DVU is a state-wide interdisciplinary team of lawyers, case workers, mental health workers and financial counsellors who work together to provide trauma informed services to clients by helping them with their legal and non-legal needs. The DVU provides advice, duty services, minor assistance, limited complex case work and community legal education in a range of locations.
About the role This role will provide senior management and leadership in an interdisciplinary team in the provision of family law, care and protection law, Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders and other services to people who have experienced family and domestic violence.. This involves directly providing legal services to clients of Legal Aid NSW, including in more complex matters.
We currently have two Grade V Senior Solicitor roles:
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Role 1 has a focus on leading and supporting the work of the Domestic Violence Unit as outlined above.
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Role 2 has a focus on leading and mentoring the work our duty lawyers in the safe room at Local Courts on Apprehended Domestic Violence Order list days and enhancing criminal law expertise within the team. Expertise in the intersection of family law and criminal law highly desirable.
This role is more suitable for a Criminal Law lawyer who is looking to expand their practice with family law experience. About you You will possess a high level of leadership and employee management skills, be able to operate collaboratively and with autonomy to meet service needs. You will have strong communication skills to provide high quality support and expert advice, minor assistance and representation services to clients who have complex needs.
You will have the passion to be willing to work with stakeholders and communities, and deliver targeted outreach services, designed to promote access and equity. You will have the ability to manage a large workflow and experience in meeting deadlines.
We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.
WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW! We are committed to diversity and inclusion We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.
We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities.
We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
Other benefits of working with us · You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
· We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.
The essential requirements for this role You must:
· be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
· be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us
· be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check
· hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)
· hold a valid Drivers Licence and have the ability to travel to regional and remote areas
The Family Law Division have a number of roles where it is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working With Children Check. You will be required to provide your Working With Children Check details prior to commencement in any role requiring the check. How to apply You MUST submit your application online through
www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted.
Your application must include:
· your resume (no more than 5 pages)
· cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please address the following three (3) target questions below:
1. Please indicate why you are interested in the family law role, the criminal law role, or both roles. 2. The Domestic Violence Unit provides high-quality legal services to people experiencing family violence and other vulnerabilities. Outline your experience in leading and mentoring solicitors to provide advice and casework services to people who have, or may still be, experiencing family violence. 3. The Domestic Violence unit is a specialist service providing legal and non-legal services to clients in an interdisciplinary framework. Please identify the challenges and strengths of working in an interdisciplinary team and how you address the challenges and leverage the strengths. Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it.
Do you need help to apply? It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:
· If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager – Pia Birac on 1800 979 529 or email: pia.birac@legalaid.nsw.gov.au
· If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the
Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
· The
Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
· The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.
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Applying for a Role·
Working at Legal Aid NSW 
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