Senior Lawyer (Police & Accountability)

Salary Offering VALS LC 1.1 – 1.3 $94,458 – $98,625.80

Office Location 273 High Street Preston, Vic, 3072

This role is a fulltime fixed term role until 30 June 2025

Additional Benefits:

• 17.5% Leave Loading
• 5 extra days leave on top of 20 days annual leave 
• Only required to work 35 hours per week, any extra hours worked will be calculated as your Time In Lieu (TOIL) – which you may use as additional leave hours
• Access to company vehicles for any work-related trips
• Salary packaging of up to $15,900+ per FBT available via Maxxia

OVERVIEW
The Senior Lawyer will provide legal advice and representation to Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander people in police and prison accountability matters. This includes representing people who have been abused and/or mistreated by members of Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria or other government agencies. This also includes representing families in coronial inquests into Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody and police contact deaths. 

Key responsibilities

• Providing high quality, culturally safe and trauma informed legal information, advice, assistance and representation to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in police and prison accountability matters, including:
  1. Coronial investigations and inquests into deaths in police or prison custody;
  2. Civil litigation involving Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria, Youth Justice or other government agencies;
  3. Criminal matters defended on the basis of police illegality or impropriety;
  4. Police and prison complaints;
  5. Strategic litigation.
• Liaison and high-level negotiation with the Coroner’s Court, Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria, legal assistance providers and wide-ranging services, including related to corrections and community health, child protection, drug and alcohol and family violence. 
• Work closely with the Policy, Communications and Strategy team to prepare advice and support policy and law reform work in areas relating to police and prison accountability.
• Work closely with the Community Justice Program team to develop and deliver community legal education across Victoria.
• Provide guidance and advice in both written and oral form to the other practice areas within VALS Legal Services. 
• Increase professional development outcomes through internal training and development opportunities, working with relevant legal teams and stakeholders.
• Establish effective and productive partnerships with Aboriginal and mainstream services and other support organisations.

Key Selection Criteria 

Essential

• A relevant qualification in Law and be eligible to practice law in Victoria.  the candidate must have at least 3 years post qualification experience as a lawyer with an unsupervised practising certificate.
• High level advocacy and legal skills with knowledge of, and experience representing and/or appearing on behalf of relevant parties in Victorian courts and tribunals.
• Capability to manage a caseload of matters across a range of practice areas.
• A commitment to understanding VALS and the social, legal and justice issues faced by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills with an ability to develop productive relationships with clients, as well as internal and external stakeholders including members of Aboriginal communities, Courts, Judiciary, support services and Government Departments. 
• Ability and willingness to undertake travel in Victoria. 

Desired

• Experience representing clients in coronial inquests, civil litigation involving Victoria Police and Corrections Victoria, Youth Justice and/or criminal law matters.
• Experience of work within Aboriginal legal services, Victorian Legal Aid and/or community legal centres.
• Experience in legal policy development and commitment to driving and influencing change on relevant policy priorities and emerging issues.
• Experience in courtroom advocacy