Organisation : Justice Connect
Location : Sydney
Work type : Contract/Temporary
Sector : Law, Justice & Human Rights
Salary type : Annual Package
Application closing date : 16 Jan, 2022
About the organisation
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join one of Australia’s most successful public interest and social justice organisations. In the face of rising levels of unmet legal need, Justice Connect designs and delivers high impact interventions to increase access to legal support and progress social justice.
We are committed to taking an impact-focused approach, applying research and design principles to develop our products and services to ensure they make a tangible difference for our clients and sector peers.
We deliver services that assist both people and community organisations. Those we assist often struggle to navigate the law, are unable to use the law in their daily lives and experience the impacts of harsh and unjust laws. We aim to prevent and to solve legal problems so that we can prevent the negative impacts on people’s lives and organisations and empower the community to use the law as a force for good.
Given the scale of the challenges we address, we use digital innovation to extend our reach and impact, supporting us to be more efficient and accessible, while helping us capture and use data to better understand legal need and underlying systemic issues.
We harness the extraordinary pro bono contributions of over 50 member firms and the barristers we work with across the country. We channel pro bono effort through our innovative service models to ensure that pro bono hours deliver real impact for the community.
We develop strategic interventions to help address the system-level drivers of legal problems and barriers people face when engaging with the legal system. By addressing root causes of flawed or unfair laws and poorly designed systems, we prevent the long-term challenges that people and organisations continue to face.
Our creative and passionate staff drive us forward with a commitment to evaluation and iteration that ensures our impact increases year on year.
About the role
Role purpose:
As Senior Lawyer of the Not-for-profit Law program’s Local Aboriginal Land Council Service, this position will play a vital role in delivering tailored legal advice, information and training to the network of 120 Local Aboriginal Land Councils across NSW.
Key responsibilities:
- Working autonomously to provide legal services to Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) including:
- triaging enquiries from LALCs (including assessment of matters eligible for pro bono assistance)
- providing legal advice and information to LALCs
- facilitating referrals to Justice Connect member firms and barristers
- monitoring referrals and supporting member firms and barristers to assist LALCs
- Developing and delivering legal training for LALCs (face-to-face and by webinar), including face-to-face in regional areas
- Contributing to the creation and improvement of online information and self-help tools to build the legal capacity of LALCs
- Undertaking research and analysis of the LALC network and its legal and related needs, with a view to identifying and furthering opportunities for improved service provision and undertaking advocacy and law reform activities to address systemic issues for LALCs and their constituents, in consultation with stakeholders where required. This may include liaising with Aboriginal community members and organisations in relation to opportunities for new service provision and partnerships via other programs of Justice Connect
- Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council and the LALC network in particular, and a range of other key stakeholders including Justice Connect member firms, current and potential funders, and policy makers
- Supervising and mentoring a part-time LALC Lawyer and Paralegal
- Leading and motivating staff and volunteers to achieve a high standard of work
- Working with the Principal Lawyer to ensure compliance with high professional standards of service delivery including professional indemnity insurance and community legal centre accreditation obligations
- Contributing to law reform and advocacy activities of Not-for-profit Law and Justice Connect
- Contributing to Justice Connect’s Reconciliation Action Plan activities
- Assisting with governance, reporting and evaluation requirements of the LALC Service, Not-for-profit Law and Justice Connect and contributing to organisation-wide projects
- Performing other duties as directed and necessary to the proper performance of the role.
Selection criteria:
- Please view the 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.
How to apply
Applications not allowed for this job listing.
Please quote in application: Senior Lawyer – Local Aboriginal Land Council Service via Pro Bono Australia.
Sector: #Law_Justice_and_Human_Rights
