ABOUT US

QAI’s mission is to promote, protect and defend, through advocacy, the fundamental needs and rights and lives of the most vulnerable people with disability in Queensland. 

QAI is a specialist community legal service and disability advocacy organisation dedicated to the promotion, protection and defence of the fundamental needs and rights and lives of the most vulnerable people with disability in Queensland. 

QAI provides legal services in mental health and human rights law and non-legal advocacy in NDIS appeals and decision support, education, Disability Royal Commission and criminal justice matters. We also publish and educate in our fields of expertise to empower clients and their supports to self-advocate, and consider law reform and challenging systems as one of our primary purposes.

ABOUT THE ROLE

QAI is looking for a Mental Health Senior Solicitor to join QAI’s Mental Health Legal Service on a full-time basis, to work in our Legal Aid Queensland (LAQ) Referrals Team.

QAI offers competitive remuneration under the SCHADS Award, with remuneration commensurate with experience and includes advantageous salary sacrifice and flexible working arrangement options. 

The position reports to and is supervised by the Principal Solicitors. 

The functions of the role include: 

• Provide legal advice and representation within the scope of QAI’s legal services, including in relation to the Mental Health Act 2016 (Qld), the Human Rights Act 2019 (Qld) and the Forensic Disability Act 2011 (Qld), with representation before the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) and the Mental Health Court Queensland as required; and 
• Working with other members of the Mental Health Legal Service.

Additionally, the role includes opportunities to work with other QAI team members: 

• Collaboration with systems advocates supporting law reform activities; and 
• Representing QAI at conferences, meetings with external stakeholders, and other events. 

The successful applicant will be an experienced senior solicitor with at least (4) years plus, post admission experience (PAE) with an unrestricted Practising Certificate (or eligibility for one), who is able to meet the following selection criteria:

1. Strong commitment to social justice principles including the promotion and protection of the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. 
2. Advice and casework experience with knowledge in relevant areas of law, or an ability to quickly acquire knowledge, working strategically, innovatively and efficiently in complex matters to achieve outcomes.
3. Experience providing legal advice and representation to highly vulnerable individuals in the community.
4. Demonstrated success in leadership, supervision and teamwork including collaboration with external stakeholders.
5. Well developed legal casework, advocacy and negotiation skills.
6. Excellent interpersonal & verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate sensitively with clients and other people from diverse backgrounds.
7. Excellent written skills, including ability to convey information in simple English.
8. Highly developed organisational skills to identify priorities, manage workload, and maintain records within a resource-poor community legal service.
9. Good knowledge of the welfare and/or disability sector/s with understanding of what makes people vulnerable.
10. Current driver’s licence as travel is required as part of this role.
11. Willingness to meet the Department of Health Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) screening requirements as required for all practitioners appearing before the MHRT. Documentation is required, confirming the successful applicant has been vaccinated against or is not susceptible to the following VPD’s is required: Hepatitis B; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Varicella (Chicken Pox); and Pertussis (Whooping Cough).
12. The position is conditional on accreditation to represent clients before the MHRT as determined by Legal Aid Queensland.

A position description is attached.

Please forward any questions to the Principal Solicitors, Carly Dennis and Emma Phillips, at QAI, Tel: 3844 4200 and/or email [email protected] using the subject line: Mental Health Senior Solicitor enquiry.