• Full time ongoing position
• Salary range: $110,357 - $127,333 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role
Join our Broadmeadows team at Victoria Legal Aid as a Senior Civil Lawyer. You will work in a diverse, large team focusing on key areas including mental health and disability law, social and economic rights, NDIS, tenancy, and fines. This is a great opportunity to help lead our civil practice with a focus on mental health tribunals and expanding the regions civil practice.

The Broadmeadows team provides legal services across criminal law, family violence, child protection, youth crime, family and civil law. A large team of Independent Mental Health Advocates are also based in the region. Legal services are provided across two Magistrates' Courts (Broadmeadows and Seymour), the Specialist Children's Court (Broadmeadows), the Mental Health Tribunal, the AAT, VCAT and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Broadmeadows is located in the City of Hume which is home to a diverse population. The city has a rich cultural heritage, with many residents from different ethnic backgrounds.

This role is an integral part of the Broadmeadows Office but also works very closely with all Program areas and lawyers in VLAs Civil Justice Directorate and with Civil Lawyer colleagues in other regional offices. In this role, you will:

• Provide duty lawyer services and advocacy for consumers at the MHT, clients who have infringement warrants in the Magistrates' Court, and advice sessions to clients in civil law matters.
• Undertake case work and advocacy in complex civil law matters including NDIS work (Administrative Review Tribunal), Working with Children's matters, Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) matters, Commonwealth entitlements, Infringements, Tenancy (evictions), VCAT and the MHT.
• Support clients by travelling to offsite locations, including the Broadmeadows Hospital, ensuring that people who are unable to come to us still get the help they need.
• Have opportunities for supervision and mentoring of junior lawyers, helping them grow their skills and delivering high-quality legal services together, and assist the leadership and management team in policy and practice issues, particularly the development of strategies to improve civil related services in the area.
• Deliver and lead community legal education projects and attend meetings and network with stakeholders.

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 Broadmeadows office on Wurundjeri 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 1400 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, using the subject line: Senior Civil Lawyer, Broadmeadows enquiry.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Maria Priolo, Regional Manager on (03) 9302 8714 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 20 July 2025.

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.