Intermediate Solicitor, Criminal Law Practice

Newcastle, NSW I Full Time I Fixed Term (To June 2025)

Primary purpose of the role 
The primary objective of the position is to deliver culturally appropriate legal advice, and representation to clients in accordance with the ALS policies, procedures and guidelines in criminal matters, including early intervention and outreach services, community legal education and referrals. 

 The primary responsibility of an Intermediate Solicitor is to:  

• Maintain a Committals Practice by taking direct carriage of at least 50% of the committal matters including serious criminal indictable work  
• Appearing as an Advocate in District Court appeals and sentences  
• Prepare and run complex Local Court (‘LC’) and Children’s Court (‘CC’) hearings and sentences 
• This position is in the ALS Criminal Law Practice team based in Newcastle, NSW.  

Why join the ALS Team? 
At the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS)  you can make an impact. You will join a strong movement fighting for social justice and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities. 

Our focus is our people: the people we support and the people we employ. We offer a career you can be proud of and a place where you feel safe to be yourself. We invest in our people and appreciate the rich diversity of lived experiences, languages, and culture. 

Born out of a protest movement over 50 years ago, the ALS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation delivering high-quality, culturally safe legal and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW and the ACT. It’s an exciting time to be joining us. We recently received additional funding to deliver a range of new programs aimed at addressing systemic issues and driving structural reforms. This is creating significant opportunities for the ALS, our staff and communities. 

As well as the satisfaction of working in a job that really matters, we offer our staff benefits including:

• Not-for-profit salary packaging to reduce your tax liability and maximise take-home pay
• Annual leave loading of 17.5%
• Career and professional development opportunities
• Access to personal counselling for you and your family
• Additional paid leave of up to 6 days per year, paid parental and study leave 
• Flexible work options – talk to us about how we can make this role work for you

About the Role

• Working closely with the Managing Lawyer, to oversee the day to day management of the office, including staff super vision, diary management, rostering, and the allocation of Criminal Law matters to solicitors within the practice
• Supervise and mentor more junior solicitors undertaking Criminal Law work, and assist them in the development of their advocacy skills     
• Advise the Deputy Principal Solicitor of all matters listed for trial in District Court as soon as possible after the matter is listed and liaise on the allocation of briefs to counsel for all trials 
• Prepare and run complex Local Court (‘LC’) and Children’s Court (‘CC’) hearings and sentence matters and assist with the management of the LC/CC Practice 
• Liaise with external stakeholders (including Courts, DPP, Legal Aid, Community Corrections, and Department of Communities and Justice) to ensure the efficient and professional conduct of the EAGP practice 
• Developing and maintain inter-agency relationships across the justice system 
• Develop and maintain stable, productive, professional and collaborative intra-office working relationships between all staff members 
• Assist with the planning and training of junior solicitors commencing work and with their program of continuing professional development (CPD) 
• Assist in the preparation of District Court short matters allocated to junior solicitors with permission to appear 

About you 

We're looking for someone who brings:

• Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal people combined with continuing respect and support for Aboriginal cultural practices in dealing with clients, their families, communities and staff 
• Legal qualifications and a NSW Practising Certificate with a minimum of 2 years’ experience in Criminal Law 
• In-depth knowledge of Criminal Law, including practice and procedure 
• Proven capacity to perform a strong advocacy role for Aboriginal people by taking a leading role in the District Court and EAGP Practices, along with more complex LC/CC matters  
• Ability to perform management, supervisory and mentoring tasks in relation to a multidisciplinary team of staff 
• Capacity to provide high quality legal representation and advice to Aboriginal people, and manage complaints by clients and/or family members 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and time management skills 
• Ability to meet deadlines, work without supervision and manage a diverse workload 
• Willingness to drive or fly distances within the region and stay overnight or longer to undertake court work or training 

Pre-Employment Requirements: 

ALS is committed to implementing safer recruitment practices. Your application may be subject to a number of pre-employment checks such as reference checks, Working with Children (NSW) or Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) check, Right to work in Australia, COVID-19 vaccinations as per NSW/ACT Health Order and Police check.  Please note that candidates with criminal records are not automatically barred from being considered. Each application will be considered on its merits.  

How to Apply: 
Please click apply now. Before you begin, make sure you have an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

If you have questions about this role, please email *******@alsnswact.org.au 

Closing Date: 11:59pm 1st March 2024