• Award/Classification:​ Level 6, Social, Community, Home Care and Disability ServicesIndustry Award 2010 (“SCHCADS”)
• Position Status:​ 6 month fixed term contract, non-ongoing
  • Full Time or part time, minimum 21 hours per week
• Working Hours/Days: ​9.00am to 5.00pm (or as otherwise agreed)
• Salary Range:​ Salary range $102,546 - $107,075 (pro rata for part time), plus 11% employer superannuation, leave loading, generous salary packaging options.
• Time Off In Lieu: ​Access to flexible and supportive work arrangements including timeoff in lieu of hours worked in addition to contracted hours.
• Responsible to:​ Principal Solicitor
• Interviews: ​Interviews for this position will be held in early December 2023.

OVERVIEW

The Australian Centre for Disability Law (ACDL) is a specialist legal centre based in Sydney, which operates a disability discrimination law practice across NSW, and a disability and human rights law practice across Australia. It was established in 1994 to assist people with disability andtheir associates to learn about and pursue their rights under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth).

ACDL is managed by a community-based Management Committee and is staffed by an Executive Officer/Principal Solicitor, 6 solicitors, and volunteers.

ROLE SUMMARY

The role of the Family Law/Family Violence Solicitor is to provide legal services, including legal advice, casework, representation at courts/tribunals to people with disability who are victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence. Other duties include community legal education, legal reform and legal policy analysis. This position may involve travel to locations outside the Sydney metropolitan area to deliver legal advice clinics and community legal education.

This is a full-time or part-time position (at least 3 days per week)

A position description is appended below.

ESSENTIAL SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants are required to respond to the following essential selection criteria:

• At least two years’ post admission experience in family law and/or family violence and hold a practising certificate.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering high quality legal advice, casework and undertaking court work and advocacy in family law, domestic/sexual violence.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to social justice, as well as the ability to identify legal and non-legal issues facing people with disability experiencing family/domestic/sexual violence.
• Ability to undertake legal research, develop and deliver community legal education, policy and law reform activities.
• Ability to work without close supervision, set priorities, organise and manage own workloads and meet deadlines.
• Work professionally and collaboratively with team members and stakeholders in a positive environment of communication and collegiality to provide legal and non-legal support to people with disability and their associates.
• This role may involve intrastate travel to develop and deliver outreach services to rural, regional and remote locations.

Desirable:

• Ability to manage and supervise volunteers.
• A current driver’s licence is highly desirable.

APPLYING FOR THE POSITION

To apply for this position you will need to carefully read the selection criteria.

All applications must include a covering letter, CV and individual responses to the Essential Selection Criteria and Desirable Selection Criteria. Each selection criterion should appear as a heading with your response below. Applicants who do not individually address each of the selection criteria will not be interviewed.

People with disability and their associates, people from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait background, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Please submit a covering letter, your responses to the selection criteria and CV via the "Apply Now" or phone Rebecca Belzer on (02) 7229 0071.

Interviews will be held as applications are received so you are encouraged to apply early.

SOLICITOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Service Promotion and Networking

• a. Promote and publicise ACDL by participating in local and relevant interagency and network meetings to increase ACDL’s client base
• b. Participate in community events

2. Legal Practice Management

• a. Provide operational support to the Principal Solicitor in the management of the ACDL’s legal practice including casework and policy advice
• b. Participate in internal management and staff meetings, professional development and organisational development and planning activities
• c. Provide high quality legal advice regarding family law and family violence and other areas of civil law affecting people with disabilities at risk of, or experiencing family law problems and domestic violence in accordance with the National Association of Community Legal Centre’s Accreditation and Risk Management/ Profession Indemnity Insurance requirements as well as Australian Centre for Disability Law’s strategic direction
• d. Provide high quality general and structured referrals for people with disability and their associates seeking legal assistance
  • i. Undertake casework and legal advocacy for people with disability and their associates experiencing family law issues and/or domestic/sexual violence and other civil law according to the centre’s policy and priorities for casework assistance. This will include, legal advice, casework, representation services.

3. Law Reform and Community Legal Education

• a. Prepare and deliver community education, training, and resources to promote increased understanding of relevant law and access to justice within the community.
• b. Assist in identifying policy and law reform issues and conduct research and prepare papers/reports as appropriate and when requested.

4. Relationship Management

• a. In conjunction with the Principal Solicitor, establish and develop constructive liaison with ACDL colleagues, including:
  • i. Legal practitioners practicing in family law, domestic violence, disability discrimination law and related jurisdictions;
  • ii. Pro Bono firms;
  • iii. Disability advocacy and representative groups;
  • iv. Domestic violence peak bodies and related bodies
  • v. The Australian Disability Rights Network;
  • vi. Community Legal Centres; and
  • vii. The Australian Human Rights Commission and Anti Discrimination NSW.
• b. Participate in the review of ACDL policies and procedures coordinated by the Executive Officer and in collaboration with the Management Committee and other relevant stakeholders and where appropriate contribute to the development of new policies and procedures
• c. Comply at all times with safety in the workplace procedures and ensure escalation of issues per policy to the Management Committee or relevant authorities. Ensure Work, Health and Safety issues are accurately recorded
• d. Successfully complete WHS training as deemed required by the relevant legislation and per organisational policy

5. Working relationships

• a. Line manager. Duties outlined and supervised by the Principal Solicitor. Ideas or issues to be raised with Principal Solicitor as a first escalation point. Yearly Performance reviews to be conducted in line with Centre policies. Regular supervision meetings and two-way feedback is encouraged between line manager and staff
• b. Pro bono legal volunteers who staff the ACDL advice line. Supervision and guidance of the volunteers with regard to ACDL organisational policies, workplace practices and client advice
• c. Provide executive support to the Management Committee of non-operational voluntary organisation board members. Input to Principal Solicitors report monthly and on request reports

6. Reporting

• a. Undertake all necessary clerical administration, create and maintain client files, data collections and prepare reports
• b. Prepare a monthly report for the Principal Solicitor
• c. Provide written reports, develop facts sheets and submissions for funding proposals, website, social media and ACDL’s Annual Report

7. Organisational Management and Team Work

• a. Work collegiately and cooperatively with staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences of disability
• b. Always comply with ACDL’s policies and procedures, including the NACLC RiskManagement Guide and professional responsibilities
• c. Provide input into the strategic direction of ACDL
• d. Participate in funding submissions relevant to the role
• e. Assist in the general administration of the centre (e.g. take minutes, facilitate team meetings)
• f. Undertake duties related to supporting, mentoring and supervision of volunteers and students at ACDL
• g. Undertake other duties as required from time to time