About NAAJA:

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency Ltd (NAAJA) provides legal assistance and justice services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory. We have offices in Darwin, Palmerston, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs. We are recognised as a leading legal service and have received national and local human rights and crime prevention awards for our work.

• Flexible working arrangements
• Salary Packaging options
• Leave Entitlements

Position Overview

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency Ltd (NAAJA) provides legal assistance and justice services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory.

We have offices in Darwin, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.

We are recognised as a leading legal service and have received national and local human rights and crime prevention awards for our work. NAAJA’s legal practice is the largest in the Northern Territory, providing high quality, culturally proficient and accessible advice, casework and court advocacy in both criminal and civil law.

NAAJA particularly seeks to achieve social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through strategic litigation, law reform and education. The criminal law practice consists of criminal solicitors working in the areas of youth, summary, indictable and appellate crime, supported by administrative and client service staff who play a vital role in ensuring the provision of effective legal services to our clients.

The work requires high levels of motivation, energy, and a commitment to professional excellence.

General description

The Criminal Solicitor will have a minimum of 1 years’ experience in conducting criminal duty matters and casework of pleas, hearings, and committals in the Local Court and indictable matters in the Supreme Court. The position will provide a role in ensuring of the high professionalism and quality of representation of clients in NAAJA’s criminal practice for the Big Rivers Region.

Key Responsibilities

1. To provide high quality legal advice and representation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people charged with criminal offences.
2. In conjunction with other staff, to undertake work aimed at overcoming the disadvantage suffered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Duties

1. To undertake work in the Local Court, including a duty lawyer service, bail applications, direction hearings, pleas, hearings, committals, and criminal matters in the Supreme Court.
2. Provide high quality advice on criminal law issues to clients and the Managing Criminal Solicitor as required.
3. To undertake work at circuit (bush) courts, including travel and overnight stays in remote communities.
4. To develop and implement goals in accordance with NAAJA’s Strategic Plan.
5. To assist the Managing Criminal Solicitor as required.
6. To assist in training, development and mentoring of lawyers and paralegals.
7. To identify issues that cause disadvantage to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system and to assist NAAJA through the Principal Legal Officer to respond to those issues through legal education, law reform and/or community development strategies.
8. To participate in all staff and team meetings as required.
9. Work co-operatively with secretarial and client service staff as required.
10. Other duties as directed.

Selection Criteria Essential

1. Admission (or eligibility for admission) as a legal practitioner in the Northern Territory ideally with a minimum of 12 months post-admission legal experience;
2. Knowledge and/or experience in criminal law with an ability to provide high quality oral and written advice and representation as a court advocate;
3. An understanding of the issues affecting the disproportionate involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system;
4. Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Top End;
5. Good time management and organisational skills including demonstrated capacity to perform under pressure and ability to effectively handle high volume workloads within tight deadlines;
6. Ability and willingness to travel to and work in the regional areas serviced by NAAJA;
7. Ability to work effectively with a diverse team of legal and non-legal staff and stakeholders;
8. Ability to obtain a satisfactory “Working With Children Clearance” (Ochre Card) upon commencement;
9. Current drivers licence;
10. Satisfactory criminal history check and no history of disqualification from employment by a legal practice.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.