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Solicitor - Harm Practice

Youth Law Australia
  • Full time or part time
  • Work remotely or from YLA’s headquarters at UNSW
  • Practice experience in one or more of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, ACT or New South Wales is highly desirable
  • Technology-enabled service delivery
  • Negotiable salary

Youth Law Australia (YLA)

YLA is the national children’s and youth Community Legal Centre (CLC). We provide high quality, free and confidential legal assistance services to children, young people, and their families and advocates nationally in all areas of the law. YLA is a fast-paced, high-volume legal practice, providing over 3500 legal services to clients each year.

YLA aims to enhance children and young people’s access to and engagement with their legal rights; assistance to exercise these rights; and to remedies when these rights are violated.

YLA’s objective is to fulfil these aims by providing appropriate and targeted legal information, advice, education, representation, and advocacy. 

Amongst other things, YLA provides:  

  • YLA website, the leading community legal information resource for young Australians. The site is an accessible, 24/7 pathway to legal information and assistance: yla.org.au.
  • Get help now, the free, confidential legal information, advice and assistance service for all young Australians. Get help now is a clear and timely “next step" for help-seekers and access is by webform, phone, or email.
  • Live webchat access for young Australians at risk of or experiencing a broad range of harms or maltreatment.

Headquartered at the University of New South Wales, YLA is an accredited CLC and holds specialist consultative status (children’s rights) with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. YLA was founded in 1993 as the National Children's and Youth Law Centre.  

About the role

YLA is recruiting a Solicitor to work within YLA’s Harm Practice and participate in a new national program providing technology-enabled legal services to children and young people with a particular focus on family and domestic violence, sexual abuse, exploitation, cyber harm and other forms of maltreatment.

This is an opportunity to join the most important legal practice in the country, and help lead a team dedicated to preventing and intervening early in the maltreatment of young people.

In this role you will be:

  • Working at the forefront of legal innovation. The live webchat service is the first and only national live webchat in the community legal assistance sector, delivering legal support in real time to any young person, anywhere in Australia, on any harm related matter.
  • Making a positive difference in the lives of young people Australia-wide
  • Working alongside dedicated Solicitors and committed children’s rights advocates.
  • Using technology to facilitate access to justice.

The Solicitor will report to and work under the supervision of YLA’s Principal Solicitors and will work closely with YLA’s Director, fellow solicitors, pro bono solicitors, law student volunteers, interns and trainees to provide technology-enabled legal information, advice and assistance. YLA provides close supervision and a trauma informed and supportive team environment. Because YLA’s practice is paperless and delivered via YLA’s bespoke technology platform, collaboration, support, and supervision occurs within our online network of lawyers and law student volunteers.

About you

The Solicitor should have a commitment to children’s rights or human rights more broadly, dedication to enhancing access to justice or an interest in technology and how it can be used to enhance access to justice.

Interested Solicitors should also have a moderate to high level of technological proficiency and be comfortable working across and learning to use multiple digital platforms, including live chat, soft phone, email and in online case management systems.   

We strongly encourage interest from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all positions.  

Specific Responsibilities   

  • Providing verbal and written legal advice, information, referrals and assistance via telephone, online chat, and email, for or on behalf of young people (under 25) across Australia.  
  • Working collaboratively with Junior Solicitors, Senior Solicitors and Principal Solicitors based in different jurisdictions to promote and deliver YLA’s services.   
  • Providing detailed advice and one-off assistance such as drafting letters, complaints, applications, or support for self-represented litigants.   
  • Providing ongoing support, assistance, casework, and legal representation to vulnerable young people.   
  • Assisting with Community Legal Education, law and legal services reform and stakeholder engagement and business development activities.  
  • Collaboratively developing and maintaining accurate information sources for young people.  
  • Maintaining accurate records, files, accountabilities, and reporting.  

Desirable Criteria  

  • Must have or be eligible for a practicing certificate in one or more of Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, ACT or New South Wales and have experience practicing in one or more of those jurisdictions.
  • Solicitors should have 1-2 years of post-admission practice experience.
  • Experience providing generalist legal services, or a demonstrated capability to develop a broad knowledge of and practice in the law. (These roles may suit a lawyer with experience as an employee or volunteer in a Community Legal Centre, at Legal Aid, an Aboriginal Legal Service, or other justice agency).
  • Demonstrated ability to work without close supervision, set priorities, organise, manage own workloads, and meet deadlines.
  • Solicitors should have experience managing own caseload, and experience signing off on legal advice under the supervision of a Senior or Principal Solicitor. Provision of efficient, timely and accurate legal advice services is essential.   
  • Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, and an ability to support, supervise and train junior lawyers and student volunteers, interns, and practical legal trainees using digital platforms.   
  • Experience working with clients experiencing family and domestic violence, sexual abuse and/or cyber harm is highly desirable.  
  • If requiring remote work, demonstrated experience in maintaining a safe work environment while receiving remote support, training and supervision.
  • Experience providing trauma informed telephone and electronic advice to clients who have experienced trauma or who are at risk of harm.

How to apply

To apply for the position, click the "Apply Now" and follow the instructions.

Contact  

We would value discussing your interest in this position. Please email [email protected] using the subject line: Solicitor - Harm Practice enquiry via EthicalJobs to arrange a call with Legal Operations Manager, Kate Richardson or Principal Solicitor, Carolyn Jones.

How to apply

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