Leading Australian law firm, Mills Oakley is establishing a new charitable law firm (the ‘Charitable Law Firm’) dedicated to providing legal services to the ‘missing middle’ - people who require legal assistance but cannot obtain Legal Aid or access the legal system without incurring substantial financial hardship.

The Charitable Law Firm will offer free legal services in the areas of employment law, tenancy, credit & debt, bankruptcy, financial abuse, fines & infringements, human rights, environmental and other areas of public interest. The firm will develop and use innovative legal tech solutions to deliver these free legal services as effectively and efficiently as possible.

The Charitable Law Firm will create a holistic learning environment for law graduates and newly qualified lawyers who are interested in gaining legal experience in social justice and public interest matters.

The Role

A rare opportunity has arisen for a motivated social justice lawyer with at least three years’ Post Qualification Experience to join the Charitable Law Firm as a permanent, full time lawyer. The ideal candidate will be passionate about helping improve access to justice and mentoring law graduates and newly qualified lawyers interested in pursuing careers in the social justice sector.

The ideal candidate will work closely with the firm’s managing lawyer to provide top-quality, efficient and professional advice and representation to vulnerable members of the community in a wide range of practice areas, predominately over video or teleconferencing platforms. The ideal candidate will also supervise the work of PLT students and newly qualified lawyers who are seeking to build a strong foundation for a career in the social justice or public interest law sector.

The role will be fast-paced, dynamic and varied. It will involve individual client work in a wide range of practice areas, allowing you to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need of free legal services.

Who We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will:

• Hold an unrestricted legal practising certificate, or eligibility to hold one;
• A minimum of three years’ Post Qualification Experience;
• Legal experience in at least two of the firm’s practice areas (as outlined in the job description above) and in litigation/dispute resolution more generally;
• Demonstrated experience supervising PLT students and newly qualified lawyers;
• Strong attention to detail, administrative and organisational skills;
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and client interaction skills;
• Strong experience working independently and as part of a team;
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to social justice;
• Demonstrated experience working with people who are disadvantaged and marginalised;
• Confidence to develop and maintain relationships with a broad range of stakeholders in the social justice sector;
• Strong interest in legal innovation and the use of ‘legal tech’ to improve access to justice;
• Availability to work five days per week commencing early January 2021

Apply

Interested candidates should submit their CV and a cover letter responding to the selection criteria to Madison Waller, Talent Acquisition Lead and submitted online via Mills Oakley’s Careers page by clicking apply now.