Knowmore is a nation-wide independent community legal centre providing free legal information, advice, representation and referrals, financial counselling, support and systemic advocacy for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. Since 2022 our service has expanded to provide legal advice and financial counselling for people applying to the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme, financial counselling for people applying to the Victorian Stolen Generations Reparations Package and free legal advice for survivors of child sexual abuse that are not eligible to apply to the National Redress Scheme. We continue to provide free legal advice, support and financial counselling in relation to the National Redress Scheme.

Knowmore uses a multidisciplinary model bringing together lawyers, intake officers, social workers and counsellors, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement advisors and financial counsellors to provide trauma-informed, client-centred and culturally safe legal assistance to clients. Our work is underpinned by our values of respect, teamwork, courage, integrity and innovation.

Services are provided through a national phone line and face-to-face services in key locations, supported by a comprehensive program of outreach and community engagement across Australia. Knowmore currently has offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.

About the Role

The Managing Lawyer will provide key leadership to their legal team within a multi-disciplinary and trauma informed framework.

This role delivers front line service and case work assistance as part of Knowmore’s multi-disciplinary model and supervises service delivery of a local legal team. The role ensures high-quality legal services are delivered to clients and that related legal and other needs are identified and actioned. The role also provides the opportunity to work at a high-level on operational planning and service delivery projects, law and policy reform initiatives, and community engagement activities.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide high quality legal advice and representation to clients impacted by sexual abuse, including redress options.
• Lead a local legal team and support national service delivery, ensuring quality, consistency, and timely outcomes.
• Manage team members and contribute to their professional development.
• Ensure compliance with legal practice standards and organisational policies.
• Oversee file reviews, service quality, and data reporting.
• Engage with stakeholders, represent Knowmore in forums, and build collaborative partnerships.
• Contribute to law reform, policy development, and media engagement.
• Deliver community legal education and outreach in collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Supervise contributions from volunteers and pro bono partners.
• Promote self-care, model resilience, and act as Principal Lawyer when required.

About you

• You will hold or be eligible to immediately obtain a current unrestricted practising certificate in WA and ideally, be eligible to obtain a Principal’s practising certificate.
• You have an excellent awareness of the legal issues facing survivors of child sexual abuse and demonstrated extensive experience practicing in a relevant area or areas of law; particularly desirable is experience in personal injury claims.
• Are experienced in leading teams and managing people, including multi-disciplinary teams of legal and staff from other disciplines, and demonstrated experience in supervising and assisting more junior legal staff.
• Can demonstrate understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and experience in providing culturally safe services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Can demonstrate the ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships with other service providers to further access to justice for clients.
• Possess strong organisational and time management skills, including the capacity to manage competing demands, prioritise tasks and to find creative solutions to improve effectiveness of service delivery for clients.
• Can demonstrate the ability to identify broader and systemic issues arising from casework and to develop appropriate responses, including experience in contributing to policy development and law reform.
• Have the ability and willingness to travel and work in regional, rural and remote areas.

What we offer

We know that in working with people who have experienced trauma it is important that our workplaces and employment conditions are also trauma informed.

Our workplaces provide time out spaces for our people to take a break and re-charge. There are couches, puzzles and always food!

We provide the following benefits:

• General leave entitlements, with shut down between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day without deduction from your annual leave
• 17.5% leave loading on annual leave
• Not-for-Profit salary packaging options through our provider including general expense, parking, novated lease, and meals and entertainment programs
• Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid arrangements of 2 days working from home, pro-rata for part time (following a qualifying period during probation and assessment of the home office environment)
• Access to paid regular external supervision, in addition to regular work supervision
• Generous professional training and development opportunities in addition to our core training requirements (2% of your salary)
• Access to EAP
• Additional 0.5% superannuation on top of the guaranteed rate

What our staff say about us

“Knowmore has the benefits of working at a community legal centre without the downside of low funding/lack of resources/lack of processes or minimal administrative support. You're able to engage in very meaningful work for very vulnerable clients you have direct regular contact with. Despite the focus of legal work being narrow compared to other CLC's that advise on a breadth of legal issues, there is a surprising amount of variability within advising and representing clients who participate in the scheme.”

“Highly supportive, safe, collegial and relaxed environment”

“No billable hours”

“The strength and resilience of our clients is incredibly empowering. I am grateful every day for the opportunity to support them on their healing journey and advocate for justice.”

“Meaningful, dynamic, supportive”

“Hearing feedback that we have made a positive change in a client’s life, even a small change, is very fulfilling.”

“The legal team is extremely supportive and working in a multidisciplinary team is invaluable.”

“The work done at Knowmore is fulfilling in the sense that you know at the end of the day, all your hours and energy are going into making just that little bit of positive difference in someone's life. This is made even better from the workplace culture which prioritises mental wellbeing.”

We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experience of diversity to apply. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from multicultural backgrounds, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and individuals with diverse abilities and experiences. Your unique perspective is valued here.

How to Apply

Further Information about Knowmore is available at www.knowmore.org.au

If this sounds like an opportunity you would be interested in, please click the "Apply Now" button.

Your application must include:

• A cover letter outlining why you are applying for this position and your responses to the selection criteria
• A resume with your skills, experience and qualifications

The role will be required to satisfactorily complete a National Police Records Check and Working with Children (Employment).

Meet Aunty Glendra

Aunty Glendra Stubbs is a Wiradjuri woman and an Elder in Residence at Knowmore. She has been supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients since Knowmore began in 2013. In this video, Aunty Glendra shares her story about working at Knowmore and supporting her clients on their journey. See the video below: