Mid-Tier Solicitor

MID-TIER SOLICITOR

The Women’s Legal Service SA (WLSSA) has received funding from the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department & the South Australian Attorney General’s Department to provide legal advice and representation services to vulnerable women in areas of unmet legal need. WLSSA provides legal assistance in relation to a number of different areas of law including:

• family law;
• child protection;
• immigration;
• debt; and
• minor criminal law.

This position, which is a fulltime position, will be focused on providing specialist and intensive legal services to victims of family violence. The position is initially for 12 months with the possilbility of further extension. The position is located in the Adelaide office however travel to rural and remote areas of South Australia may be required from time to time.

The Mid-Tier Solicitor in this capacity will be responsible for undertaking a wide range of duties including client intake, data entry and records, preparation and, as qualified, analysis of affidavits and briefs, coordination of client case files and legal correspondence.

Key Outcomes and Activities

a) Provides a range of legal services to women in South Australia by providing telephone advice, office-based advice services, outreach services, legal assistance; legal representation and community legal education and other assistance as required.

b) Ensures high levels of case work management of client files.

c) In conjunction with other staff and volunteers assists in the policy and law reform work of the WLSSA including the preparation of submissions, reports, and commentaries in those areas of relevance to women.

d) Establishes and maintains links between WLSSA and other agencies that ensures an efficient and responsive referral network and an up-to-date resource collection.

e) Works in partnership with other organisations including women’s organisations, to promote structural and legislative changes.

f) Assists in the planning of service delivery, policy development, law reform and evaluation of the community legal education service and its specific program areas.

g) Participates in client data collection and in the meeting of prescribed funding guidelines, standards and other targets as will be determined by the CEO.

h) Ensure that confidential client records, statistics and reports are maintained.

i) Participates in the production of community education resources, the development of a library and in the development of publications.

j) Attends training and conferences and represents the service in other settings as required.

k) Participates in the service’s administrative and housekeeping duties as required.

l) Some intrastate travel will be required and some out of hours work may be required.

m) The Mid-tier will be assigned to a specific role in the first instance but may be required to move to a different position or undertake different tasks as directed by the Principal Solicitor.

n) The Mid-tier Solicitor will be required to enter into a performance agreement for the achievement of specific outcomes.

o) A current driver’s licence is essential.

Essential Selection Criteria

1. Law Degree and eligibility to practice law in South Australia with a minimum of 3 years post admission experience.

2. Experience in working with vulnerable groups of women including Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women living with disabilities.

3. An understanding of the legal system and domestic/family violence, as it affects women, living in metropolitan, rural, regional and remote areas of South Australia.

4. Demonstrated ability to foster or contribute to a supportive team environment.

5. High level of interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills.

6. High level analytical problem solving and negotiation skills.

7. Willingness to travel intrastate and hold a current South Australian driver licence.

Desirable Selection Criteria

8. Experience in working in a community legal service, community services and/or the Legal Services Commission.

To apply for this role, please click the link below