Legal Assessor

Exciting opportunity to use your high-quality decision-making skills to assess applications for legal assistance and represent Victoria Legal Aid in court in relation to funding matters.
Job Details
VLA Logo
Department: Victoria Legal Aid
Work Type: Fixed term - full time
Job Function: Legal
Classification: VLA3 - V3LO3C
Work Location: Melbourne - CBD
Reference: VG/LA987
Closing Date: 01-Oct-2023
Salary Range: $84,626 - $96,952
Job Duration: Up to 12 months
Attachments: Legal Assessor - Candidate application form.docx (Word, 227KB)


Legal Assessor - Position Description.docx (Word, 223KB)


Contact: Tilini Wickramadara, Coordinator, Legal Assessment
(03) 9606 5266

Position Details

  • Full time, fixed term position up to 12 months 
  • Salary based on experience, range: $84,626 - $96,952 plus super
  • Attractive employee benefits including salary packaging and hybrid working 

About the role:
In this position, your primary duty will be to evaluate applications for Legal Aid in compliance with the Legal Aid Act concerning intricate family, criminal, and civil law cases. It will also be your responsibility to effectively communicate grant determinations to applicants and their legal representatives, as well as offer guidance to the Grants and Quality Assurance leadership team on policy matters impacting Victoria Legal Aid (VLA). Additionally, you will have the opportunity to represent VLA in court in relation to funding decisions and provide legal support to the Principal Lawyer and the leadership team. This role will expose you to a diverse range of complex, engaging, and high-profile cases.

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.
  • Ability to analyse and interpret laws and policies and apply them to complex facts and situations.
  • Highly developed communication skills, including the ability to use plain language to effectively communicate with a range of audiences.
  • Proven ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a team environment.
  • High level organisation skills, including the ability to meet deadlines, apply initiative, problem solve, and effectively progress outcomes.
  • Ability to facilitate and conduct education and training sessions.

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 1000 staff employed in 15 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:

  • Family friendly, flexible hybrid work from home & office model
  • Training and professional development opportunities
  • Supportive team environment in modern offices
  • Salary packaging which allows up to $15,900 of your salary each year to be tax free

How to apply:

To be considered for this role, please submit a current resume and completed candidate application form (listed within the file attachments).

If you require adjustment 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.

For further information review the attached position description or contact Tilini Wickramadara, Coordinator, Legal Assessments on (03) 9606 5266.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 1 October 2023.

No agency applications will be accepted.

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.


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