Overview:

Our Family Lawyers provide high quality legal services, including information, advice, representation, casework, negotiation, and dispute resolution. They also perform outreach primarily in Family Law matters with a focus on family violence and related hearings in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Federal Circuit and Family Courts of Australia on behalf of members of the Aboriginal community in Victoria. This position also conducts some legal services in relation to child protection matters.

All VALS lawyers participate in VALS projects as well. This includes policy and law reform initiatives, and community and professional legal education programs.

What will you do?

1. Appear as an advocate on behalf of VALS clients in Family Law proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Federal Circuit and Family Courts of Australia and at other state-wide locations as required.
2. Deliver high quality legal services, including information, advice and casework
3. Maintain a substantial caseload in Family Law matters.
4. Prepare and comply with applications for grants of legal assistance and reporting requirements for matters eligible for Victoria Legal Aid funding.
5. Attend, participate and contribute to the planning, service delivery and continuous improvement of the Aboriginal Families Practice and VALS.
6. Contribute to VALS projects, policy and law reform initiatives, and community and professional legal education programs as required.
7. Keep up to date with relevant legal developments and procedures by attending professional legal education and maintain an understanding of issues, risks and trends
8. Impacting upon legal services and members of the Aboriginal community in Victoria.

What we need of you?

1. To be fully committed to social justice and to ensure that every individual is treated with dignity and respect regardless of their background, abilities, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or religion
2. To champion and abide by VALS Values, Code of Conduct and relevant VALS policies and procedures and government legislation and standards.
3. To be a team player who gets involved. We want you to actively engage with initiatives that promote positivity and collaboration at work
4. To take good care for your own health and safety, and that of others (to the extent required). This includes promptly responding to and reporting on any health and safety hazards, incidents and near misses to management.
5. To keep developing your technical knowledge and to participate in other VALS training sessions. For example, about equal employment opportunity and cultural safety and awareness.

Key Selection Criteria

1. Admitted as a legal practitioner in Victoria and in the High Court of Australia.
2. Demonstrated ability to act as an advocate and to deliver information, casework and outreach services, and undertake negotiation and dispute resolution for VALS clients in Family Violence, Intervention Orders and, to a lesser extent, Family Law matters.
3. Knowledge of and practical experience in relevant law and procedure, with a focus on Family Violence Intervention Orders and Family Law and willingness to conduct child protection matters. This includes in advancing the Aboriginal child placement principle.
4. A commitment to, and understanding of the legal issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities
5. Quick and accurate decision-maker, with proved skills in working under pressure and meeting deadlines.
6. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others to foster a co-operative and supportive team environment consistent with the principles and values of the VALS.
7. Competency in the use of MS Office software (Word, Excel, E-mail) and the capacity
8. Fast learner, with ability to acquire competency in the use of VALS’ client management systems.

Mandatory Requirements

On offer of this position, you must provide:

• a copy of your current Employee Working with Children card
• a copy of your current Driver’s License valid for the State of Victoria
• you will be required to complete a current Criminal History Police Check
• proof of rights to work in Australia, i.e. a copy of an Australian Passport, Birth Certificate or Immigration VISA documentation
• a copy of your current Practicing Certificate