About us

Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas of criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices.

About you

We currently have a temporary Solicitor Advocate role in our Family Law Advocate team.

The primary purpose of the Solicitor Advocate role is to:

• Provide high quality legal services (including early litigation support) and representation services in family law and care and protection matters determined appropriate for an Advocate, including preparing and conduct trials in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and the conduct of more complex care and protection matters in the Children’s Court, District and Supreme Court of NSW.
• Contribute towards the law reform objectives of the family division.
• Provide expert supervision, training and support to family law division staff across all areas of law.

This is an Aboriginal targeted recruitment. This means that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply. But it doesn’t mean that non-Aboriginal people can’t apply – we also welcome applications from anyone who is interested in the role.

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion:

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities.  

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at [email protected], using the subject line: Solicitor Advocate - Legal Officer Grade VI - Family Law enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Other benefits of working with us 

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
• We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life.

The essential requirements for this role

You must:

• be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
• be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us
• be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you start work with us
• be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check
• hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies)
• have a valid NSW Driver Licence 

The Family Law Division have a number of roles where it is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working With Children Check. You will be required to provide your Working With Children Check details prior to commencement in any role requiring the check.

How to apply 

You MUST submit your application online via the Apply Now link. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted. 

Your application must include:

• your resume (no more than 5 pages)
• cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please answer the following target questions: 
  1. Describe your experience in complex Family Law and Care and Protection matters.
  2. Describe your experience in mentoring junior solicitors in a Family Law environment.

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it. 

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role, also attached below.
• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate. 
• Applying for a Role
• Working at Legal Aid NSW

Please click Apply Now to submit your application.