• Full time ongoing position (part time applications considered)
• Salary range: $98,902 - $123,624 (pro rata) plus super plus salary packaging
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role
As a Senior Lawyer, you will coordinate duty lawyer and casework services for Assessment and Referral Court (ARC). You'll provide expert legal advice and represent clients, especially those with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, or neurological impairments. You will work on developing policies to improve our services and build strong relationships with stakeholders in the justice system.

In addition, you will support stakeholder engagement to establish the practice in the Sunshine catchment, with operations set to begin in 2025. You will also mentor, supervise, and train junior lawyers, fostering their professional growth and helping them develop essential skills and knowledge.

This role is based at our Sunshine office on Wurundjeri Country.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will:

• Bring experience in criminal law and advocacy, particularly in handling complex cases.
• Have experience working with clients who have mental illness, intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, or neurological impairments, and approach these situations with empathy and understanding.
• Communicate effectively and build positive relationships with clients, colleagues, and community partners.
• Have a passion for mentoring and training staff, helping them develop their skills and confidence.
• A current Australian practising certificate that entitles you to practice in Victoria as a government legal practitioner (mandatory).

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 Sunshine office
Join our brand-new Sunshine office, which has been open for just a year and features state-of-the-art equipment. Located in the heart of Sunshine, our office is conveniently close to public transport, and a vibrant shopping centre with numerous dining options and coffee shops. Enjoy the added perk of fortnightly massages right in the office and be part of a fantastic team that values collaboration and well-being. This modern and dynamic environment is designed to support you both professionally and personally.

About Victoria Legal Aid
We provide legal representation to those who need it most. With over 1300 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
• Relocation allowance offered if relocating for the role

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

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.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Daniel Bakewell, Deputy Managing Lawyer on (03) 9300 5389 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Tuesday 26 November 2024.

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.