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Solicitor - Legal Officer Grade IV –

Children’s Civil Law Service - Dubbo - Full Time (Temporary - until 30 June 2024)

This is an Aboriginal targeted recruitment. This means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply. But it doesn’t mean that non-Aboriginal people can’t apply – we also welcome applications from anyone who is interested in the role.

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.

About us

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas of criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices.

About the team

The Children’s Civil Law Service (CCLS) is a multi-disciplinary team within Legal Aid NSW that works in collaboration with criminal lawyers and other stakeholders to provide targeted and holistic legal services to young people identified as having complex needs and who are involved with the criminal justice system. The team also work with young people who are participants in the Youth Koori Court, and young people who are in, or have a history of being in, out of home care.

The CCLS assists young people across a range of civil law issues including: consumer debt, fines, human rights, housing, social security and advocacy within the out of home care environment.

With the expansion of the Youth Koori Court to Dubbo, the CCLS team is expanding its practice to work with young people in Dubbo and surrounding areas in western NSW.

About the role

The CCLS have a temporary opportunity (up to 15 months) for a solicitor to join our team to establish and manage the Dubbo CCLS practice, including building relationships with a range of local stakeholders as well as team members working in different locations. A focus of the role will be to work with young people who are participants in the Youth Koori Court.

As a solicitor in the CCLS team, you will provide high quality civil law advice, minor assistance and casework services across a range of civil law issues to vulnerable children and young people, including young people who are in, or have a history of being in, out of home care.

About you

You will have a passion for working to support and assist children and young people, and experience working with clients who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, including young people and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. You will also have experience supporting clients across a range of civil law issues.

You will be capable of building relationships and working collaboratively with criminal lawyers, caseworkers and other professionals to provide wrap around support to clients.

You are highly motivated and able to work independently whilst also contributing as a senior member of the CCLS team.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. 

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need a reasonable adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.

Other benefits of working with us

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
• We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.

The essential requirements for this role

You must:

• be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW;
• be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us;
• have a current NSW Working with Children Check;
• be willing to do a Criminal Record Check;
• be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you start work with us;
• hold a driver’s licence;
• hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency or a valid visa to work in Australia.

How to apply

You MUST submit your application online through www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted.

Your application must include:

• your resume (no more than 5 pages)
• cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please address both of the following questions:

1. What are your skills and experience working with vulnerable clients with complex needs, including working with Aboriginal clients and/or young people?
2. What experience do you have establishing and building relationships with relevant stakeholders?

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it.

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Matt Dimech on (02) 9066 6010 or email: matt.dimech@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.
• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate. 
• Applying for a Role
• Working at Legal Aid NSW
• Guide to creating a resume and cover letter