This vacancy is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander identified recruitment under Part 5, clause 26 of the Government Sector Employment (General) Rules 2014.

If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch for a confidential discussion by emailing: [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor in Charge VI (Aboriginal Identified) - Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities enquiry via EthicalJobs.

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

About us

Legal Aid NSW is the largest legal aid agency in Australia, comprising a Central Sydney office and 25 regional offices in metropolitan and regional centres across NSW. The Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities (CLSAC) is a statewide specialist team within the Civil Law Division that delivers targeted and holistic legal services to Aboriginal clients and communities through outreach and by phone. It also operates the Aboriginal Women Leaving Custody program. CLSAC is a multi-disciplinary team providing high quality advice, casework, financial counselling, and community legal education services to support better civil justice outcomes for Aboriginal people. CLSAC works with Aboriginal communities and community workers to increase their capacity to deal with civil law problems as they arise and works in partnership with other legal and non-legal services.

About the role and our recruitment partner

The primary purpose of the role is to:

Provide senior management and leadership of the Civil Law Service for Aboriginal Communities and contribute to the direction of the Civil Law Division. The Solicitor in Charge will manage a legal practice that delivers high quality, efficient and effective legal services in accordance with service delivery plans and the strategic direction of the organisation, the Division and team.

Please Note: Legal Aid NSW considers that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a genuine occupational qualification under s 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

Pipeline talent have partnered with Legal Aid and when submitting your application, applicants for this role must satisfy the Aboriginality criteria. Aboriginality is defined by descent through parentage, identification as being Aboriginal and being accepted in the community as such. In the pre-screening questions you will need to provide information on how you satisfy the Aboriginality criteria.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will be an experienced and respected leader in the field of law, who takes pride in what you do. You will be self-motivated, articulate, and courageous in your leadership style. You naturally inspire direction and purpose in the work you do and have demonstrated experience in managing and developing a strong team to deliver against competing priorities. With your legal experience, coupled with strong project management and leadership, you will be able to demonstrate your strategic abilities particularly in problem solving, along with your experience in planning, prioritising, and delivering results.

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].

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 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• have qualifications to practice as an Australian legal practitioner
• be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and/or Working with Children Check
• hold a current drivers licence and a willingness to travel with in NSW   

Key Selection Criteria

• Tertiary qualifications in Law, with a practising certificate to practice in NSW.
• Experience and a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.
• Extensive experience leading and growing the capability of a team, with strong people management qualities and a commitment to valuing diversity.
• Strong project management skills and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Strong ability to influence and negotiate, including with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in developing effective strategies and showing decisiveness in dealing with emotionally charged situations, difficult and controversial issues.

How to apply

You MUST submit your application online via the "Apply Now" button. 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 3 pages). In your cover letter, please address the six (6) selection criteria above, outlining why you have applied for the position and how you meet the requirements of the position.

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 have questions about the role, you can contact the Senior Recruitment Consultant – Megan Ingram on 02 8001 6603 or email: [email protected]
• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch via [email protected] to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.
• The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role.
• 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. 
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• Working at Legal Aid NSW