Professional Support Lawyer, Child Protection

About this role

• Full time or part 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
The Professional Support Lawyer will play a pivotal role in developing and implementing training materials based on training priorities, VLA's Capability Framework for Child Protection lawyers, and emerging needs and developments in the policy and legislative environment.

You will also support child protection legal practice through providing lawyers with case advice, coordinating case strategy meetings for shared learning opportunities and networking, producing and sharing legislative, case law and policy updates, and supporting specialist accreditation processes. This role will also involve collaboration with the Professional Support Lawyer, Youth Crime and other professional support lawyers across VLA.

This role can be based at any of our VLA offices.

About you
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Extensive knowledge and practice experience in child protection law in Victoria, and a good understanding of related areas of law such as family violence and youth crime.
• Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of quality training and education resources to support lawyers develop and continuously improve their legal skills and knowledge.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, to engage and build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to provide advice on complex legal issues in child protection and children's intervention order matters.
• LIV Accredited Specialisation in Children's Law (desirable).

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 offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy 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
• Opportunity to join Myki Commuter Club(and salary package the cost)
• Supportive team environment in modern offices (including free gym and end-of-trip facilities at our CBD office)
• Access to discounted Private Health Insurance

How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a cover letter addressing the following key selection criteria:

KSC 2 - Demonstrated experience in the development and delivery of quality training and education resources to support lawyers develop and continuously improve their legal skills and knowledge.

KSC 5 - High level research and writing skills, including the ability to analyse and synthesise complex information into plain English.

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 Heidi Deason, Program Manager, Children's Law on (03) 5055 4010 or recruitment@vla.vic.gov.au.

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Wednesday 26 November 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.