Newcastle, NSW |  Full-time/part-time  |  fixed-term (June 2025) 

Primary purpose of the role

The Aboriginal Legal Service is offering an exciting opportunity for a Senior Solicitor to join our Legal Assistance for Women team. Enjoy coming to work each day with a purpose-driven organisation that makes a real difference.

Why Join the ALS NSW/ACT team?

At Aboriginal Legal Services NSW/ACT you will make an impactful change. You have the chance to change lives and bring social justice and equity for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.

Our focus is our people; the people we support, and the team we employ. We offer a career you can be proud of and a place where you feel safe to be yourself. We invest in our workforce and appreciate the rich diversity they represent of life experience, languages, and culture. Born out of a protest movement over 50 years ago, the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited is the primary legal service for Aboriginal people in NSW and the ACT. It’s an exciting time for the ALS, with both our services and teams growing significantly. We recently received additional government funding to deliver a range of new programs aimed at addressing systemic issues and driving structural reforms. This is creating unprecedented opportunities for the ALS and our communities. For many of our staff making a real difference to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities and working with a great, supportive team is its own reward. We appreciate that, but we want our team to know that we value them so offer benefits such as:

•  Salary packaging options and novated car leasing
•  Annual Leave Loading of 17.5%
•  Career and professional development opportunities
•  Access to personal counselling for you and your family
•  A range of additional paid leave, paid parental and study leave
•  Flexible work options – talk to us about how we can make this role work for you

The Role

The purpose of the role is to deliver culturally appropriate legal advice and representation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence. The role will also manage the caseloads of the legal service within the Legal Assistance program and liaise with a small legal team.  

The role is part of a new legal assistance program, which provides legal and wraparound services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experiencing or at risk of domestic and family violence. The program will include a trauma-informed community outreach model and be based in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter regions.  

About you

The successful incumbent will demonstrate:

• Legal qualifications and a current Practicing Certificate issued by the Law Society of NSW  
• Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people combined with continuing respect and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices when considering service delivery and other support for clients, their families, communities and employees  
• Knowledge, experience and understanding of domestic violence, care & protection/family, case law and court proceedings, and where the different practices intersect 
• Proven ability to use this knowledge and experience to creatively achieve positive outcomes for the safety and empowerment of clients  
• Proven ability to manage the caseloads and workloads of a small law practice and supervise staff 
• Understanding of the dynamics of family and domestic violence and its effect on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families  
• Capacity to represent clients and undertake an advocacy role before courts or tribunals 
• Highly developed written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to adapt to change and work in a start-up environment 
• Current NSW driver’s licence with the ability to travel intrastate (desirable) 

How to apply

• Download the application package for this position Application Package - Senior Solicitor - LAW

• Please submit the completed application package to [email protected] 

• If you have any enquiries or would like to discuss the role, please email [email protected] 

Applications for this position close at 5:00pm 17 November 2023.