Principal Solicitor - Employment Law & Industrial Relations

Principal Solicitor - Employment Law & Industrial Relations – Public Law   

• Be part of a dynamic public sector team  

• Based in the Sydney CBD (Martin Place) with flexible working arrangements  

• Opportunity to work with a team of legal professionals providing guidance, mentoring and career growth prospects  
     

Salary Classification: Legal Officer Grade VI  

Salary: $161,034 - $164,426 p.a. base salary (annual leave loading and superannuation are paid in addition to the base salary)  

Work type: Ongoing role, full-time 35 hours per week      

About the Role  

We're seeking an exceptional Principal Solicitor to join the Employment Law & Industrial Relations practice group in the Public Law Division at the Crown Solicitor’s Office. The Employment Law & Industrial Relations practice group provides legal services across a range of areas, including administrative review, licensing appeals, as well as industrial and employment law. If you’re not sure whether you have the right skills or experience, please don’t hesitate to contact the hiring manager Christina Ray. For more information about the practice group, click on the link  

Employment Law & Industrial Relations Practice Group 

As a Principal Solicitor (Legal Officer Grade VI) at the Crown Solicitor's Office (CSO), you will be instrumental in delivering high-quality legal services to the NSW Government and its agencies. This role involves conducting highly complex legal matters, including advice and litigation, while supervising solicitors at various grades to ensure that the legal services provided are cost-effective and client focused. You will manage a diverse caseload, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and CSO policies, while also mentoring junior staff to foster their professional development.  

The role presents challenges such as balancing urgent legal demands with staff supervision and competing against the private sector for legal work. You will need to demonstrate resilience and effective decision-making while managing your own complex legal matters and stepping into more senior responsibilities when required. Building strong relationships with internal teams and external clients will be crucial for success in this role.  

Essential requirements  

• Completion of a law degree from an accredited law school or completion of the Legal Practitioners.  

• Admission or eligibility for admission as a legal practitioner in NSW.  

• Highly developed legal skills and extensive experience which enable provision of advice and representation in highly complex legal matters in areas of law in which the Practice Group specialises.     

For more information about this role, please click here.     

How to apply:  

For your application to be considered, you must submit your application online and include:   

• An updated resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and suitability for the role  

The selection process may include a range of assessment techniques to assist hiring managers in determining your suitability for the role.  

You can request adjustments throughout each step of the recruitment process. If you require any adjustments or alternative formats to participate in the process, please contact Margaret Ters, Talent Acquisition Partner on 0400 549 700 or email Margaret.Ters@cso.nsw.gov.au  to discuss your requirements.  

A recruitment pool may be created from this recruitment action for ongoing and temporary roles for this role or similar roles that may become available over the next 18 months.   

Closing date: Sunday, 29 June 2025 (AEST 7:59 PM)  

Recruitment enquiries: Christina Ray on Christina.Ray@cso.nsw.gov.au    

Why work for CSO?    

The NSW Crown Solicitors Office (CSO) provides high-quality and cost-effective legal services to the NSW Government and its agencies. As a trusted legal advisor to the NSW Government, our principal role is to advise and represent agencies so that they can deliver policies, programs and projects in a lawful, effective and efficient manner.  

We act with integrity and professional independence, guided by the government sector's core values. We are focussed on providing excellent client service and promoting a culture of continuous improvement. We also provide our people with opportunities to learn, develop and adapt within an inclusive and supportive environment.  

For more information about the CSO, click here.     

Our commitment to flexible working:  

The CSO has adopted a teams-based approach to flexible working. We recognise that everyone has different needs and preferences, and our flexible work culture allows you to adapt your work routine to suit you. We’re all about flexibility, productivity and driving good client outcomes.   

We have generous leave provisions available for our employees that acknowledge individual preferences and responsibilities including:  

• Up to 20 days recreation leave and up to 18 days flex leave per annum  

• 20 days purchased leave annually  

• Inclusive paid parental leave provisions of up to 16 weeks (14 weeks + 2 bonus weeks) which can be taken flexibly within the first 24 months to support the birth, adoption, altruistic surrogacy or permanent out-of-home care placement of a child  

• Study time up to 4 hours per week  

• Extended Leave of up to 44 days after 10 years or up to 30.8 days after 7 years of service.   
     

How we support health & wellbeing:  

We offer an employee assistance program to support the wellbeing of employees in the workplace and in their personal lives, which also extends to family members  

Coaching services are available for people leaders and executives to learn and implement best practices to manage their team’s wellbeing  

We offer an annual Flu Vaccination program  

We provide access to the Fitness Passport program,  a discounted workplace health and fitness program available to staff and their families 

CSO's commitment to diversity  

At CSO, we believe a diverse and inclusive workforce contributes to the success of our organisation and we are committed to ensuring that our workforce reflects our diverse community.  

We welcome and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, including people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTQIA+ community, culturally and linguistically diverse people, veterans and other diverse communities.