Senior Lawyer

Job Description

• Work for an esteemed organisation making a real impact
• Multiple locations across Victoria - flexible to you
• Supportive and collaborative team environment

Why work with Client Organisation?
Our client is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation with over 20 years' experience accompanying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, and their children, on their individual journeys. We find solutions through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women sharing their stories, journeys, and experiences. Our client celebrates women's strength and resilience and are committed to a future without family violence.
The locations we are hoping to attract candidates to are currently, Melton, Bendigo, Shepparton, Echuca and Mildura.About the Role:The organisation we represent extends both legal and non-legal aid, facilitating the pathway to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals affected by family violence or sexual assault. Operating under a culturally sensitive, trauma-aware, and comprehensive client service model, our client ensures holistic support. Collaborating with lawyers and paralegal support workers, clients gain access to a diverse array of services encompassing legal, social, psychological, cultural, and healthcare domains to address their multi-faceted needs. Legal services provided include consultation, representation, and advocacy in the following areas:

• Child protection
• Family violence intervention orders
• Family law
• Victims of crime assistance

Key duties:Provide high quality legal advice, court advocacy, duty services, casework, assistance and referral to Aboriginal clients experiencing family violence and/or sexual assault in the areas of Family Violence Intervention Orders, Child Protection, Family Law, Victims of Crime Assistance, and other civil matters arising from the experience of family violence and sexual assault.

• Provide representation and advocacy services to clients either by personal appearance or by briefing Counsel to appear at Courts and Tribunals or at family dispute resolution.
• Maintain a significant case load with a focus on matters of greater complexity.
• Provide legal and related services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients in a culturally safe and appropriate manner.
• Work collaboratively with Paralegal Support Workers to ensure clients are supported to access a variety of legal and support services to address their complex needs.
• Develop and maintain relationships with a broad range of regional stakeholders, including: Aboriginal cooperatives; Aboriginal Health Services; family and children's services; other Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations providing support to victims of family violence and sexual assault; mainstream health, mental health, housing, alcohol and drugs, and counselling services; police, courts and legal assistance services.
• Regularly attend significant stakeholder meetings and events.
• Conduct regular outreach services across the region and be responsible for the delivery and maintenance of specific outreach projects.
• Deliver community legal education, training and information to other Aboriginal community organisations and mainstream services.
• Support and assist our client's Early Intervention and Prevention programs
• Undertake and participate in the development and delivery of legal and support training for legal and other staff employed by our client.
• Supervision of legal and non-legal work, and the day-to-day mentoring & development of Lawyers and/or Paralegal Support Workers.
• Carry out management duties delegated by the Managing lawyer following approval by the Manager Legal Services.
• When asked, act up during periods of the Managing Lawyer's leave following approval by the Manager Legal Services.
• Accurate and timely data entry using CLASS database.
• Prepare work plans, statistical analysis and other reports as required.
• Proactively report on opportunities for improved health and safety.
• Maintain thorough and current knowledge of the law in our clients' practice areas.
• Demonstrate excellent client engagement skills and consistent ability to handle challenging situations with sensitivity, cultural appropriateness and tact.
• Maintain knowledge of best practice regarding trauma informed and culturally safe service delivery.
• Recognise when to involve/escalate issues to the Managing Lawyer.

Skills & Experience:Essential:

• Well-developed written communication skills, commensurate with high quality legal work; and ability to represent clients in Courts, Tribunals and dispute resolution conferences.
• Demonstrated ability to provide legal advice and representation to a high standard in family violence related areas of law.
• Demonstrated skills and knowledge in the area of family violence and its impact on community.
• Demonstrated high level interpersonal, liaison, teamwork and collaborative skills.
• Highly developed organisational skills and the ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands.
• Good critical analytical skills in relation to policy and community issues.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, and to use initiative to solve problems; awareness of when to escalate legal and non-legal matters to Managing Lawyer.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies and cultures and the issues affecting these societies, including family violence, sexual assault, family law and care and protection of children as well as the underlying contributing factors. * Demonstrated high level oral communication and listening skills with particular capacity to communicate effectively and build strong trusting relationships with Aboriginal people and with clients who have experienced trauma.
• Ability to supervise and mentor the work of lawyers, paralegal support workers, volunteers or other staff.

Desirable:

• Eligible to apply for VLA s.29A panel certification in Child Protection, Family Law or Family Violence; or commitment to work towards certification.
• Knowledge of and commitment to working toward a trauma informed legal practice in the context of family violence and intergenerational and cultural trauma.
• Experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Computer literacy, including database operation to maintain AFVLS's client management database (CLASS) proficiency in the use of MS Outlook, MS Word and Excel.
• A current driver's license is essential. Some out-of-hours and/or overnight travel will be required.

You will also have or be willing to undergo a Working with Children Check and a Police Check.How to apply:Email your resume to Sarah Ingram at Sarah.Ingram@twrecruitment.com.auFor any queries regarding the position or application process, contact Sarah Ingram on (03) 9087 1020.TRADEWIND AUSTRALIA AND THE ORGANISATIONS WE REPRESENT ARE PROUD TO BE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYERS.We welcome applications from people who reflect the diversity of the organisations we partner with, and the people they support. We encourage people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background and people with disability and lived experience to apply.*The Employer considers gender a genuine occupational qualification for this position under Section 27 (2), (c), (e) and (g) of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 and so we ask that only female applicants applyGet similar jobs like these by emailBy submitting your details you agree to ourConsultantShare this jobYou know how people say, "come to me with solutions, not problems" ...we're not like that.