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. Working at Legal Aid NSW provides the opportunity to support people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women and children, Indigenous people and people with mental illness who may experience difficulties when enforcing and defending their rights.
About the role
In this role you will be responsible to provide high-quality legal advice, minor assistance, and casework services in areas such as consumer law, mental health, human rights, employment, housing, immigration, social security, and coronial inquests. This role involves efficient service delivery, community legal education, and contributing to law and policy reform.
About you
As a Legal Officer (I-III) at Legal Aid NSW, you’ll play a crucial role in providing essential legal services to our diverse clientele to overcome disadvantage. Your primary purpose will be to offer high-quality advice, minor assistance, and casework across various civil law areas, including consumer rights, mental health, human rights, employment, housing, immigration, social security, and coronial inquests. Here are the key aspects of your role:
- Expert Guidance: You’ll provide expert legal advice, ensuring that clients receive accurate information and understand their rights within complex legal frameworks.
- Service Excellence: Deliver efficient and effective services aligned with our service delivery plans and strategic direction. Your commitment to excellence will directly impact the lives of those seeking legal assistance.
- Advocacy and Reform: Contribute to law and policy reform by identifying areas for improvement and advocating for positive change. Your insights will shape legal practices and benefit the community.
- Community Education: Engage in community legal education initiatives, empowering individuals with knowledge about their legal rights and responsibilities.
- Collaboration: Work collaboratively with stakeholders, service delivery partners, and fellow legal professionals. Your ability to build strong relationships will enhance our collective impact.
- Compliance and Professionalism: Adhere to the Legal Aid Commission Act, policies, guidelines, and practice management standards. Stay informed about legal developments and procedures through ongoing training.
We will 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)
· valid NSW drivers licence
How to apply
You MUST submit your application online through
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 criterion:
1. What relevant civil law experience do you have that would make you suitable for this role? (no more than 1 page)
2. What is your connection and experience about delivering civil law services to vulnerable clients in Western Sydney? (no more than 1 page)
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 – Chaminda Jayasinghe on (02) 9762 2124 or email:
Chaminda.Jayasinghe@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 CLOSING DATE: Sunday, 6 October 2024, 11.59pm
