Senior Lawyer - Child Protection

About the Organisation

Make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable Australians with this unique opportunity to provide both corporate expertise and community support. With a focus on people, not profit, Life Without Barriers’ corporate services team partners with our direct support staff, clients, and their families to ensure we continue our mission to change lives for the better.  If a truly inclusive, collaborative, and fast-paced work environment sounds like your next career move, this is an opening not to be missed.

Life Without Barriers is a leading social purpose organisation of 8,000 employees working in more than 500 communities across Australia. We support children, young people and families, people with disability, older people, and people with mental illness. We work with people who are homeless and refugees and asylum seekers.  Join a community of people dedicated to breaking down barriers.

We want to employ people who reflect the diversity of our clients to ensure we can support each client's individual needs and wants. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability to apply.

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Lawyer to join our team, providing complex legal advice and services relating to Child Youth and Family matters in NSW. The role will also involve providing legal advice to other areas of the organisation as required. 

This is a 6 month full time maximum term contract, location flexible in NSW.  You can work from where you are most productive, whether that be from your home or one of our offices in NSW.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and support to senior managers in Child Youth and Family NSW
• Draft high-quality legal documents and legal advices
• Provide legal advice to case management staff on matters relating to children and young people in out-of-home care in NSW
• Maintain procedures and systems to manage client and carer-related legal and risk matters (electronic files)
• Support staff to respond to subpoenas and requests for information under legislation
• Assist with drafting documents for Court including NSW Children’s Court, District Court, and Supreme Court
• Act as a key point of contact for parties involved in legal and risk matters
• Manage legal matters progressing towards restoration, guardianship and adoption and support the maintenance of adoption and permanency policy for children in out-of-home care 

Skills & Experience 

• Current NSW Practising Certificate and ability to practice law in NSW
• Tertiary qualifications - Bachelor of Law or equivalent
• Extensive experience providing high-quality legal advice and representation in various courts and tribunals
• Skilled in communicating complex legal concepts effectively
• Able to manage competing priorities and deliver high quality outcomes within deadline
• Maintains confidentiality, operates with integrity, and demonstrates honesty
• Strong analytical ability and attention to detail
• Demonstrates good judgment in high-risk matters
• Skilled in problem-solving and considering strategic implications
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Sound understanding of relevant legislation and standards
• Ability to collaborate with various stakeholders
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite

Successful candidates will be required to clear probity checks including National Criminal History Record Check and Working with Children Check (where relevant to the role).
     
Benefits

• Opportunity to work for one of Australia's largest social purpose organisations
• 6 month full time maximum contract role, location flexible NSW
• Excellent tax benefits and monthly rostered days off

How to Apply

Include your resume and covering letter in one document, click ‘Apply’ and follow the prompts. For any enquiries including persons with disability that require adjustments, contact Debra Neil at ***********@lwb.org.au.

Please apply without delay, we are shortlisting daily.

To be considered for and appointed to a position at Life Without Barriers, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a minimum of two (2) doses or hold a valid medical exemption certificate, in accordance with Life Without Barriers Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. You will be required to provide evidence of your vaccination status during the recruitment process.

We are dedicated to playing our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and bring continuity of care and support to our clients. With this in mind, if you are successful, we will discuss with you an alternative to a face-to-face interview.

Life Without Barriers supports the Royal Commission into violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with disability. We believe people with disability need to be heard and for these experiences to influence how support services like ours are delivered. View our statement here https://bit.ly/2GzZGWA