• Opportunity for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander law graduate
• Work with respected legal teams at forefront of social justice
• Transition into solicitor role with professional mentoring

The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre (The Shopfront) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) have partnered to provide this unique opportunity to lay the foundations for your legal career.

The Shopfront provides free legal advice and assistance for homeless and disadvantaged young people aged 25 years and younger. It is a pro bono project of Herbert Smith Freehills, in partnership with Mission Australia and The Salvation Army.

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is a leading social justice law and policy centre. We build a fairer, stronger society by helping to change laws, policies and practices that cause injustice and inequality. 

• Structured 2-year program for law graduates
• Financial support and paid Practical Legal Training
• Sydney, CBD location, with remote work supported
• Identified position for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

The program runs for a total of two years, in two phases. It can be tailored to suit the requirements of the different GDLP course structures on offer. In phase one you will be supported to achieve admission as a lawyer in NSW, while working part time in a paralegal role at The Shopfront and PIAC. In phase two you will be employed full time as a solicitor, providing individual casework assistance to clients of The Shopfront, and then working at PIAC on strategic litigation and policy responses to issues arising in that casework.

You can demonstrate your commitment to social justice and have completed LLB or JD law degree in Australia, with capacity to:

• Manage competing demands and deliver high-quality results on time
• Undertake detailed legal research with meticulous writing skills
• Achieve outcomes individually and within a team
• Engage in a way that promotes fairness and equity

This position is intended as a special measure for the purposes of s 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) and the subject of an exemption granted under s 126 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW).

If you’d like to gain hands on legal experience, professional mentoring and training to provide the foundations for a successful career in the law, please direct your enquiries to Jonathan Hall Spence via [email protected], using the subject line: Graduate - Aboriginal Social Justice Graduate Program enquiry via EthicalJobs. Or for application instructions, click 'Apply Now'.

Please note there is no application close date, and we invite you to apply as soon as possible. The anticipated commencement for this role is early June 2023.  

A position description is attached.