Senior Child Protection Lawyer

About this role

• Full time or part time maximum term position up to 18 months
• Salary based on experience, range: $98,902 - $123,624 (pro rata) plus super
• Up to $15,900 in salary packaging and hybrid WFH & office model

About the role:
Looking to gain or develop leadership skills and to work within an office to build a strong child protection practice? This is the role for you!

As the Senior Child Protection Lawyer, you will serve as an advocate and provide legal representation for parents and children in child protection proceedings within the Children's Court of Victoria and other related matters such as Youth Crime and/or Family Violence. You will play an important role in mentoring and offering specialist support to in-house child protection lawyers. Additionally, the senior lawyer will collaborate with Deputy Managing Lawyer and the Child Protection team to contribute to continuous improvements in child protection programs, through the provision of high-quality legal services. This role presents an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact while furthering your professional development in child protection law.

About you:
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Comprehensive knowledge and practical experience in relevant law and procedures, particularly focusing on the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005, and expertise in child protection and evidence law.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact sensitively and empathetically particularly children and young people, as well as their parents, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Strong advocacy skills and proficiency in offering strategic advice on legal policy matters, with a keen understanding of external organizations, community, and welfare groups, and their significance in legal aid services.
• Proven leadership abilities, with experience in supervising and mentoring junior legal staff.
• A current Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner (mandatory).
• Demonstrated experience working with First Nations Australians and understanding of cultural norms and communication styles (highly 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.

Why Ballarat?
If you are interested in gaining regional experience, this is a great opportunity. The varied and interesting work available within a regional office will allow you to not only accelerate your advocacy skills but to gain experience in mentoring and leadership skills.

Ballarat is only 1hr 15-30 mins drive from Melbourne and Bendigo, or 1hr 15mins drive from Geelong. Many of our staff do not live in Ballarat and commute, with a few car-pooling or catching the train together. We have a few people who live in the West or Inner West of Melbourne and with our flexible hybrid working arrangements, it makes a commute a lot more manageable.

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:

• 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)

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 contact Erin Churchill, Deputy Managing Lawyer on (03) 5329 6295

No agency applications will be accepted.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday May 5 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.