The Human Rights Law Centre, a leading national human rights advocacy organisation, seeks a Senior Lawyer to work with us in our Democratic Rights and Freedoms team.

This is a 12-month full-time contract position, however we are open to flexible and 0.8 or 0.9 EFT arrangements for the right candidate. The position can be based in either Melbourne or Sydney.

About the Human Rights Law Centre

The Human Rights Law Centre is comprised of lawyers, campaigners and policy and communications experts working together to eliminate inequality and injustice and build a fairer, more compassionate Australia. We use strategic legal action, policy solutions and advocacy to support people and communities to hold the powerful to account and to protect human rights.

Our vision is an Australia where everyone is free to lead a decent, dignified life; where our laws, policies and institutions promote fairness and equality; and where people and communities have the power to address inequality and injustice, and ensure that governments always act in the public interest.

The Human Rights Law Centre is a registered charity with offices in Melbourne and Sydney. We are a diverse team with a strong, shared commitment to creating a better, fairer Australia.

About the Senior Lawyer (Democratic Rights and Freedoms) role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Lawyer to work with us on democratic rights and freedoms. This position will report to the Legal Director leading this area of work and will play a vital role in contributing to all aspects of the work.

The work is both responsive and agenda-setting, working closely with Australian civil society groups to identify and address systemic issues. The Human Rights Law Centre’s democratic rights and freedoms work focuses on:

• Ending the corrupting influence of corporate money in our democracy;
• Protecting the ability of civil society organisations to advocate on their issues;
• Protecting the right to protest;
• Promoting press freedom and whistleblower protections; and
• Ensuring transparency and human rights limits on the use of mass surveillance technologies.

We are seeking a highly motivated, dynamic and collaborative individual. This position is aimed at lawyers with at least five years’ post-admission legal experience or relevant policy or social justice experience. This position will be based in Melbourne or Sydney. We are ideally looking for a full time position but will consider 0.8 or 0.9 EFT.

We know our team is stronger and our work more impactful when our team has a diversity of backgrounds and experience, including lived experience of the issues we work on. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, People of Colour, people from culturally and linguistically diverse and refugee backgrounds, people with diverse religious beliefs, women, LGBTIQ+ people and people with disability are strongly encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Legal Director leading this work and working closely with the team’s other Senior Lawyer, the Senior Lawyer will:

• Help drive deep strategic thinking and planning across the Democratic Freedoms team’s core areas of work;

• Analyse legislation and policies and collaborate across sectors and internally to develop and implement media, political and legal advocacy strategies that seek to achieve systemic reform or prevent regression;

• Develop strong partnerships with the Human Rights Law Centre’s key stakeholders, in particular civil society partners relevant to our democratic freedoms work;
• Identify opportunities for strategic litigation and coordinate litigation in partnership with pro bono legal teams and other not for profit organisations;
• Supervise legal secondees and volunteers;
• Actively contribute to a work culture where we are constantly striving to improve on the way we live our values;
• Undertake administrative tasks as required in a small team.

Key selection criteria

Essential

• Admitted to practice as a lawyer in Australia and at least five years’ post-admission legal practice experience or equivalent policy or social justice experience;
• A demonstrated commitment to democratic freedoms and to broader human rights principles and practice;
• Legal research and policy analysis experience, and experience in writing reports or submissions;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to develop relationships of trust and confidence with diverse stakeholders, including civil society partners, pro bono lawyers, politicians, public servants, academics, donors and the media;
• A high degree of professionalism and strong attention to detail; and
• Ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure and with autonomy in small teams.

Desirable

• Litigation experience;
• Experience working in human rights law or working in a public interest, social justice or human rights organisation.

Terms and Conditions

The salary will be $96,684 per annum (pro rata) plus 9.5% superannuation. We are ideally looking for a full time position but will consider 0.8 or 0.9 EFT.

The HRLC has charity tax status enabling us to offer staff generous salary packaging options including meals and entertainment packaging. The tax savings for staff who take full advantage of salary packaging options significantly increases their take home pay.

The HRLC offers flexible working arrangements, five weeks’ annual leave, opportunities for professional development, and a workplace culture that is professional, dedicated, collaborative and dynamic.

The position may involve some travel and work outside normal business hours.

The position will be for a 12 month fixed term period, with the possibility of extension subject to funding.

Applications

Application should include:

• A short cover letter (maximum 1 page);
• A document addressing the selection criteria (maximum 2 pages); and
• Your resume.

Please combine these three documents into a single PDF document, clearly named with your name in the document title.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted by telephone for interview within one week of the closing date.

Further Information

For further information about this position, contact Daniel Webb, Legal Director of the Democratic Freedoms team at [email protected], using the subject line: Senior Lawyer, Democratic Rights & Freedoms - Melbourne or Sydney enquiry via EthicalJobs.

For further information about the Human Rights Law Centre, see www.hrlc.org.au.

A recruitment pack is attached.