About the role

• Location: Melbourne CBD
• Job Type: Ongoing, Full-Time & Part-Time considered.
• Salary: $110,328.68 - $115,325.78

Consumer Action is one of Australia’s leading not-for-profit consumer advocacy organisations, that makes life easier for people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.

As part of the Legal Practice team, the Solicitor will conduct legal casework, participate in outreach and training activities and provide assistance to advice line callers. The successful applicant will be a part of a high impact legal practice team which contributes to the education, policy and campaign work of Consumer Action.

Specifically, the solicitor will:

• Empower people through the provision of an effectively targeted consumer legal advice service and high-impact legal representation in consumer, credit and insurance law matters in courts, tribunals and external dispute resolution forums.
• Build an effective and sustainable community sector through the provision of legal advice to workers.
• Work collaboratively with members of the legal practice to ensure that consumers better understand their legal rights and options and connect vulnerable consumers to appropriate services.
• Undertake legal research and other duties relating to the legal practice, and administrative tasks where required.
• Support outreach and engagement with consumers and the sector, which may include public sessions, representing the organisation at stakeholder forums, presenting training to workers, and collaborating with partner organisations.
• Identify systemic issues and contribute to policy and campaign activities through litigation and advice work.
• Implement dispute resolution strategies that will likely result in a benefit to a significant number of disadvantaged and vulnerable people and/or improve access to justice.
• Support and collaborate on powerful stories that inspire systemic change.

The successful applicant will:

• Be a qualified legal practitioner holding, or eligible to hold, a current Victorian Practising Certificate (Mandatory).
• Have knowledge of or ability to develop a detailed understanding of consumer, credit and insurance law, its legislative framework and regulation generally (Highly Desired).
• Have demonstrated experience or ability to develop skills in litigation in various jurisdictions including tribunals and courts (Highly Desired).
• Have demonstrated communication skills for culturally and linguistically diverse client audiences, clients experiencing disadvantage and First Nations clients.
• Ability to work in a supportive team environment while also working with autonomy and accountability.
• Strong time and file management skills and the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure.
• Have a demonstrated commitment and interest working in the community legal centre to improve access to justice and progress systemic change

Rewards and Benefits

• Join a highly engaged, supportive and motivated team
• Additional end of year leave
• Salary packaging available
• Superannuation paid on unpaid parental leave
• 16 weeks parental leave,
• Purchased leave scheme available
• Comprehensive training and professional development opportunities

About Legal Practice

The Legal Practice currently consists of around a dozen lawyers and two legal assistants. The practice provides legal advice direct to the Victorian public through our consumer advice service telephone line. The practice also advises consumers through referrals and stakeholders. The practice also operates a dedicated worker advice service to provide legal support to financial counsellors, community workers and community lawyers seeking specialist legal advice. All matters are also assessed according to our legal intake criteria, and lawyers can provide more detailed advice to clients with our practice representing some clients in litigation and complex dispute resolution.

More about Consumer Action can be found on our website, including our Strategic Plan and Impact Report.

Next Steps

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

If we can make any adjustments or modifications to standard recruitment processes that will support and enable your application, please contact us at [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor enquiry via EthicalJobs.

First Nations peoples are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

At Consumer Action Law Centre, we embrace diversity and welcome any applications from people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people of all ages and LGBTIQA+ community members.

No agency applications will be accepted.

A position description is attached.