Solicitor I-III Family Law

We’re creating a statewide talent pool of Solicitors (Grade I–III) to fill ongoing and temporary roles across NSW over the next 18 months. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Competitive salary: $90,692 - $134,458 pa (plus superannuation and leave loading) , Legal Officer Grade I-III

Information session: Interested in learning more? Join the hiring manager for an online information session. Click here for more information and to register.

Application closing date: Sunday, 8 March 2026, 11:59pm

Why Legal Aid?

“There’s nowhere else I could get this breadth of work and still feel genuinely supported.”

We are Australia’s largest family law practice, offering a breadth and depth of work few organisations can match.

At Legal Aid NSW, family lawyers:

• work on complex, high‑impact matters involving children, families and clients navigating hardship
• practise in a trauma‑informed, client‑centred environment
• are supported through strong supervision, collaboration and realistic workloads
• have access to flexible working arrangements and wellbeing support

Whether you’re building foundations or bringing established expertise, you’ll be supported to do your best work.

About the role
 

“This job reminded me why I studied law in the first place.”

As a Family Lawyer, you will:

• provide high‑quality legal advice, representation and casework to clients experiencing disadvantage
• appear in court, prepare legal documents and advocate for adults and children navigating hardship
• work across family law, care and protection, domestic and family violence, and dispute resolution matters
• collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including allied professional services staff
• maintain an effective legal practice in line with legislation, policy and professional standards

About you 

“You understand that for clients, this isn’t just a legal problem — it’s their life.”

You’re a solicitor who wants your work to mean something. You enjoy helping families and children through difficult moments and want to build your career in a supportive environment where learning, supervision and wellbeing are genuinely valued. 

You will thrive in this role if you: 

• want hands-on experience across family law, dispute resolution, and care & protection with a strong commitment to supporting clients navigating hardship in a trauma-informed manner 

• enjoy collaborating with experienced mentors and colleagues 

• value a healthy workplace with realistic workloads and flexibility 

• are committed to social justice and accessible legal services  
  
  

This role is perfect for early–mid career lawyers who want to grow professionally while contributing to a purpose driven organisation. 

Locations and specialist teams

“You can specialise, rotate, or broaden your experience — the practice is big enough to support it.”

Opportunities may arise across NSW, including metropolitan, regional and remote locations, and within specialist teams such as:

• Sydney and Surrounding Areas: Central Sydney, Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown, Bankstown, Campbelltown 
• Regional NSW: Wollongong, Nowra, Gosford, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Broken Hill, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Moree

The specialist teams are in various locations, including some locations listed above:

• Domestic Violence Unit (collaborating with allied professionals to holistically support clients experiencing domestic and family violence)
• Early Intervention Unit  (early legal help preventing family and care matters escalating)
• Family Law Service for Aboriginal Communities (Aboriginal‑led, culturally‑safe legal support for Aboriginal and Torres‑Strait‑Islander families)
• Child Support Service (providing independent child support advice)
• Your Voice – Children's Out of Home Care Advocacy Service (supporting young people’s voices in out‑of‑home care

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.  

For application support (including accessing information or require the application in an alternate format) or recruitment adjustments please contact the Talent Acquisition Team at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au or 02 9134 9347. 

To learn more about Recruitment and Workplace Adjustments please visit Adjustments for individual needs | I Work for NSW. 

Other benefits of working with us 

• You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities. 

• We are an accredited Flex Ready and Carers and Employers certified employer and are recognised as leaders in flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life 

• Find out more at Working at Legal Aid NSW  

Essential requirements

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 start work 

·       be a Registered practitioner of the High Court of Australia as per provisions of section 55B of the Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) before start work

·       be willing to do a Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check 

·       hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies) 

·     have a valid Driver Licence and/or the capacity to travel regularly. You may be required to travel to regional and remote areas  for certain roles.

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) addressing two (2) target questions 

• Target Question 1: What is your understanding of client-focused, high quality family law advice and representation of clients experiencing hardship, and describe how you would demonstrate this in practice?
  
  
  
• Target Question 2: What are the challenges in representing clients who are experiencing social and/or economic disadvantage? 
  
  

You must clearly label your responses to each Target Question, for example, by using headings such as Target Question 1 and Target Question 2. Cover Letters that do not clearly label responses may be considered as not having addressed the Target Questions.    

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:  Ms Clare O’Donnell, Associate Director Family Greater Sydney, at erecruitment@legalaid.nsw.gov.au  or (02) 9134 9347.
• 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 closing date: Sunday, 8 March 2026, 11:59pm

Family law. Real impact. Real support.