Lawyer and Project Lead, Seniors Law

About “safeguarding now, preventing future abuse” project: 

Future planning is key to the prevention of elder abuse. The provision of targeted advice about rights, how to access help, maintaining choice and control, family care arrangements, appointing substitute decision making, Enduring Powers of Attorney and Medical Treatment Orders, can reduce the likelihood of elder abuse, and maximise the opportunity for older people to be at the centre of all decisions that affect them. Despite free advice, support and resources, older Victorians may not engage with services to support them until something goes wrong.

This project will investigate barriers to engagement through a co-design process. Utilising the Health Justice Partnerships between Seniors Law and community health partners, Seniors Law will work with their partners, who have strong relationships with community health members, to engage older Victorians who may experience elder abuse now or in the future.

In the context of COVID-19, the way in which legal, education and other services are delivered to potentially vulnerable people presents enormous challenges and opportunities. New approaches to service delivery and legal education are being tested by Justice Connect and Seniors Law. Delivery of this project may include the provision of digital and remote strategies.

Role purpose:
This role will lead the process of co-design and delivery of the ‘Safeguarding now, preventing future abuse’ project. This will be through the delivery of five stages of Investigation, Codesign, Engagement, Education, and Legal Support. In addition, provide legal advice and secondary consultations to older people and their support people in a health setting. 

Key responsibilities: 

• Lead ‘Safeguarding now, preventing future abuse’ project through codesign methodology
• Provide secondary consultations on a broad range of legal issues to assist health professionals at cohealth.
• Conduct intensive legal triage with clients experiencing, or at risk of, elder abuse and other legal issues associated with ageing.
• Provide targeted legal advice and discrete casework on site — as well as outreach locations — and appropriate information, referrals and resources for older people.
• Oversee referrals to pro bono firms, including providing guidance to pro bono lawyers and responding to clients.
• Develop strategies to be visible and engage with health professionals, such as attending case conference meetings with multi-disciplinary teams, aimed at supporting staff to identify potential legal issues and appropriate referral pathways.
• Identify casework trends and systemic problems impacting on older people and engage in various initiatives — including projects, law reform and advocacy activities — to address these problems.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with key stakeholders. In particular, cohealth staff, pro bono lawyers, evaluators, other community services, networks and funders.
• Develop resources and deliver education promoting the legal rights of older people tailored for health professionals, pro bono lawyers and community members.
• Collect data to assist with monitoring and evaluation.
• Actively contribute to the ongoing marketing and profiling the HJP.
• Participate in working groups and committees about the legal rights of older people.
• Actively participate in promotion activities, including by representing Justice Connect in a range of public forums, delivering presentations and contributing to internal and external publications.
• Assist with the governance, fundraising, reporting and evaluation requirements of the program including reports for the Justice Connect Board and funders.
• Contribute to Justice Connect’s Reconciliation Action Plan activities.
• Contribute to program and organisation-wide projects.
• Escalate risk and legal practice management issues to the Principal Lawyer or Manager.
• Perform other duties as directed and necessary to the proper performance of the role.

Key selection criteria:

• Please view attached PDF for information regarding the selection criteria.

Employee Benefits:
Justice Connect offers employment benefits including salary packaging (making part of your salary tax-free), flexible working arrangements, above award annual leave provisions and opportunities for professional development. Justice Connect is an organisation that strives to show leadership, operate sustainably and demonstrate our effectiveness. You will be rewarded with a workplace culture that is professional, committed, collaborative and creative and where you can make a real difference through your work.