OVERVIEW 

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

In December 2019, First Peoples Disability Network, Australian Centre for Disability Law and People with Disability Australia (the “Consortium”) were awarded a grant from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to undertake a project to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disabilities to understand their legal rights and advocate for themselves (“The Project”).

This project will build the capability of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders with disability and their families and communities to assert their legal rights, speak up to perceived authority and negotiate effectively from a position of strength with schools, employers and service providers. The project will also provide education and develop peer support to address the cultural blindness associated with some disabilities.

This position reports to the Managing Principal Solicitor and the Project Steering Committee and will work closely with project staff from First Peoples Disability Network and People with Disability Australia.

ROLE SUMMARY

The role of the Solicitor is to work with the Consortium partners to develop and deliver culturally appropriate legal resources to Aboriginal people with disability and their communities. The Project will focus on legal issues arising from intersectional discrimination, providing education and support to parents and the community supporting children with foetal alcohol syndrome and legal rights arising from COVID-19.

This role requires a solicitor with experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities and the legal issues facing these communities. 

This role will involve travel to selected regional, remote and rural locations to identify key legal issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.  Travel within the Sydney metropolitan area is also required.  We will utilise other forms of communication to conduct workshops and outreach where travel is not appropriate.

The applicant will be experienced in working in projects, including preparing reports, and delivering to tight deadlines.

Other duties as required.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo both a Working with Children and National Criminal Record check.

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

ESSENTIAL SELECTION CRITERIA 

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

1. Hold (or eligible to hold) a practising certificate in NSW, and at least three (3) years post-admission experience.
2. Ability to effectively communicate and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and knowledge of social justice issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
3. Demonstrated understanding and experience, or the capacity to acquire understanding, in disability discrimination legislation and other disability-related legislation, policies and practices, and at least two other areas of law affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disability, such as, but not limited to race discrimination legislation, the NDIS, fines, consumer law, family law or domestic violence.
4. Demonstrated experience in working in a multi-disciplinary project team.
5. Demonstrated experience in undertaking legal research to produce fact sheets and other legal resources, develop and deliver community legal education and community outreach programs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
6. Ability to travel to rural, regional, and remote locations to conduct workshops and community outreach legal services and community legal education programs.
7. Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, manage competing priorities, work professionally and collaboratively with the Consortium Partners, team members and stakeholders to provide legal and non-legal support to First Peoples with disability and their associates.

DESIRABLE

1. Current Driver License.

ACDL encourages people with disability and their associates and people from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait background or culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to apply.

Please contact Mark Patrick, Managing Principal Solicitor, on 02 9370 3142 for any questions.

A full position description is attached.