Principal Lawyer (Parental Leave Backfill) – Access Program

In this role, you’ll work to:

• Lead and manage a team with the Access Program to deliver a high-quality legal service, including self-represented clinic practices and pro bono referrals
• Supervise lawyers and paralegals to deliver high quality legal services
• Embed Justice Connect’s values in the work of the team, share knowledge and provide leadership focused on delivering the Justice Connect strategy and building the culture and mindset of the team
• Build and maintain strong stakeholder relationships to maintain confidence in our legal services, to support strong referral pathways, and to support existing and new collaborations with sector partners
• Works in collaboration across Justice Connect support and facilitate digital innovation and integration into the legal services delivery
• Identify risks and issues impacting service delivery, stakeholder relationships, and projects, in close collaboration with other leaders in the Access Program team
• Represent Justice Connect externally at meetings, conferences and trainings as required.
• Engage with service research and data to identify opportunities for service improvement
• Contribute to or supervise legal policy and advocacy work
• Together with other Managers and Heads, help to ensure that Justice Connect promotes staff wellbeing, diversity, cultural competency and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ right to self determination 
• Contribute to Justice Connect’s Reconciliation Action Plan activities 

Our ideal candidate

You’ll bring to the team experience in the following areas:

• At least 7+ years of post-admission experience, preferably with experience as a Principal Lawyer or Senior Lawyer.
• Hold a Principal Practising Certificate
• Demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas of law:
• Administrative law, including Supreme Court appeals;
• Commercial Litigation;
• Property law; and/or
• Domestic Building law.
• Capacity to develop expertise in other relevant areas of law, including bankruptcy, employment, discrimination law and administrative law.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a legal practice, including strong understanding of professional and ethical obligations and risk management.
• Strong management and leadership skills, including demonstrated capacity to achieve outcomes individually and in a team environment and to produce quality results in a timely manner.
• Highly developed research and analytical skills.
• Highly developed oral and written communication skills

Candidates will need to demonstrate commitment to Justice Connect’s vision, strategy and values.

A week in this role

If you were here last week, you would have:

• Met with the legal team to discuss emerging issues in the legal practice, discuss more complex legal issues arising from help seeker enquiries, address any workflow issues and prioritise work for the fortnight
• Reviewed and approved a advice plans regarding issues such as an appeal from VCAT to the Supreme Court regarding the dismissal of a discrimination claim, summary possession orders in the Supreme and County Courts and breach of contract matter matter arising from a fraudulent investment
• Attended a meeting with the County Court of Victoria regarding service provision and referral processes between the Court and Justice Connect
• Consulted with staff regarding eligibility of help seekers with domestic building disputes
• Met with the Access Program leadership team to review fortnightly service data and staff insights to support decision making on how to further improve our intake and triage processes
• Weekly catch ups with staff reporting to the role

What we offer

We believe is creating an environment where people will thrive.

If you want your next role to have purpose, support you to master new skills and build meaningful relationships then Justice Connect is the place to work.

We offer a range of benefits including:

• Progressive leave entitlements
• Flexible working arrangements with a minimum of 40% in the workplace attendance across the month
• Access to EAP
• New hire and ongoing learning and development
• Flexible Parental Leave