Organisation : First Step Legal
Location : Melbourne (St Kilda )
Work type : Part-time
Sector : Domestic / Family Violence, Drug, Alcohol & Addiction, Law, Justice & Human Rights, Mental Health
Salary type : Annual Package
Application closing date : 12 Nov, 2022
About the organisation
First Step Legal (FSL) started over 10 years ago as a Health Justice Partnership (HJP) within First Step, a not-for-profit mental health and addiction clinic in St Kilda. FSL is a unique Community Legal Centre providing pro bono legal advice, casework and representation to among the most marginalised in the community. In recent years FSL’s services have expanded significantly to incorporate health justice partnerships with four organisations: the First Step mental health and addiction clinic; Windana’s residential drug treatment program; Alfred Health’s community mental health outpatient clinic; and Star Health’s Family Violence Program.
FSL is NAS-accredited and a member of the Federation of Community Legal Centres. FSL only receives referrals from our HJP partners.
FSL prioritises its casework focus on clients who are genuinely engaged or wanting to be engaged in treatment, recovery and therapeutic interventions that will support their ongoing wellbeing.
FSL practices predominantly in relation to criminal law and family violence (both victims and perpetrators), as well as conducting casework in family law, infringements and victims of crime. Many of our clients have a number of different legal matters. Limited assistance – including discrete advice or a supported referral may be provided in some areas of law, e.g. tenancy, debt. Secondary consultations with clinicians at our four HJPs may include referrals for clients with other legal matters.
FSL currently comprises a small close-knit team of the Director (Tania Wolff is currently LIV President), a Principal Lawyer (Crime/FV), a Practice Manager, Criminal-Generalist Lawyer, Family/FV Lawyer, a Legal Case manager, a Legal Administrator, an embedded Social Worker and several volunteer paralegals and lawyers.
About the role
The Legal Case Manager is a pivotal role to support the smooth running of FSL, working closely with all FSL Lawyers to directly support FSL’s Case Work. Given the unusual practice of FSL as a health justice partnership and the important place on therapeutic engagement, the role encompasses significant client support and liaison, regular client conferences with the client and with clinical and support staff to monitor progress. The role reports to the Principal Lawyer (with a ‘dotted line’ report to the Practice Manager).
The role sits in tandem with the Legal Administrator, who focuses on initial triage systems as the key FSL point of contact for incoming referrals, e-referrals and greeting clients. The role works collaboratively with the whole FSL team and our HJP partnerships with the goal to assist clients with a broad range of legal issues to rebuild and restore their lives.
How to apply
Applications not allowed for this job listing.
Please quote in application: Legal Case Manager via Pro Bono Australia.
Sector: #DomesticFamily_Violence, #Drug_Alcohol_and_Addiction, #Law_Justice_and_Human_Rights, #Mental_Health
