Senior Solicitor - Grade IV - Tamworth

• Ongoing full-time (35 hours per week)
• Competitive salary package up to $160,373.00. Package includes salary ($139,862.00- $142,554.00), employer's contribution to superannuation and annual leave loading.

About us

Legal Aid NSW provides legal support in criminal, family, and civil law. We offer advice, court assistance, and family dispute resolution by phone or at our 28 offices. 

Legal Aid NSW has Australia’s largest family law practice, handling diverse and dynamic cases across all life stages. We help adults and children resolve disputes and achieve safe, workable family arrangements. Our services include legal advice, outreach, duty services, family dispute resolution, and case representation in Commonwealth family law matters (property, parenting, child support, Hague Convention), state care and protection cases (parens patriae, NCAT, education), and domestic violence matters across NSW. 

About the role

This is an ongoing full-time role as the Senior Family Law Solicitor (Legal Officer Grade IV) at Tamworth.

As the Senior Family Lawyer, you will play a critical role in in the provision of family law services to clients at Tamworth and the Greater New England region in accordance with legislation and directions, policy, guidelines, and practice management standards. Your responsibilities include:   

• Provide expert legal advice and representation in complex matters  

• Conduct an effective complex legal practice 

• Supervise, lead, and manage junior lawyers, providing guidance and support, and identifying training and development needs, while ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal services 

• Identify systemic issues affecting vulnerable clients and contribute to law reform and strategic service delivery initiatives that support vulnerable clients.  

About you

We are seeking an experienced family lawyer with advanced people management skills, and effective communication and problem-solving skills. The successful applicant will have demonstrated:

• Experience in handling complex legal matters in both the care and protection and family jurisdictions
• Experience in providing leadership and support to junior lawyers
• An understanding of the unique challenges facing families and children in regional areas
• Ability to adapt to changes and experience in managing and resolving complex matters, through identifying systematic issues and provide tailored solution to address the issues.   

We may use this recruitment to create a talent pool for similar ongoing or temporary vacancies we have over the next 18 months.

The essential requirements for this role

You must:

• be admitted or be eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW
• be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us
• be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check
• hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies)
• have a valid driver’s licence and capacity to travel regularly, and to reginal and remote areas

The Family Law Division have a number of roles where it is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working With Children Check. You will be required to provide your Working With Children Check details prior to commencement in any role requiring the check.

How to apply

You MUST submit your application online. If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted.

Your application must include:

• your resume (no more than 5 pages in PDF or word format)
• cover letter (no more than 2 pages in PDF or word format). In your cover letter, please address the following:

1. Detail your experience in undertaking complex legal matters in family law and care and protection.  In particular, what do you consider would be the challenges facing a Senior Solicitor practising family law and care and protection in Tamworth and how would you address them?
    
2. Outline your experience in working collaboratively in a legal setting. What skills do you possess that will enable you to mentor and guide junior solicitors to provide effective and efficient legal services, while managing their wellbeing?

Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it.

WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW!

We are committed to diversity and inclusion

We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard.

We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. 

We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au.

Other benefits of working with us

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities.
• We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly some of the time in a way that helps them balance family and work life.

Do you need help to apply?

It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you:

• If you have questions about the role, you can contact on or email: Associate Director Family Law - Emma Smallwood on emma.smallwood@legalaid.nsw.gov.au or +61 02 5525 1655.

• If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.

• The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate.

• Applying for a Role

• Working at Legal Aid NSW

Application closes on Sunday 9 February 2025, 11:59pm