Senior Solicitor

The Victorian Public Advocate is empowered by law to promote and safeguard the rights and interests of people with disability. The Public Advocate is supported by staff and volunteers at the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA), including guardians, policy and research officers, advice and education staff, legal officers, corporate and administrative staff, and more than 650 volunteers. We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our organisation, we’d love to hear from you. If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad. For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers If you are considering taking on a challenging, rewarding role that allows you to make a noticeable difference in the lives of others, we look forward to hearing from you.

• Utilise your Community Services and Legal expertise to provide support and advice to the  Office of the Public Advocate
• An Ongoing, Full-Time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• VPS Grade 5: $106,534 - $128,897 plus superannuation.

About the Business Unit:

The Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is an independent statutory agency that works to safeguard the rights and interests of Victorians with disability, to strengthen their position in society, and to reduce their exploitation, abuse and neglect.

About the Role:

The Senior Solicitor is a member of the Legal Unit which includes the Principal Solicitor, two other Senior Solicitors and a Solicitor.

Some of your duties will include:

• To provide legal advice and casework assistance to OPA staff, namely:

1. To advise and assist advocate guardians on matters arising from their casework, including the drafting of any necessary legal documents.
2. To advise and assist medical treatment decision officers on matters arising from their casework.
3. To advise on matters arising from OPA's Advice Service.
4. To advise on the rights and obligations of people with disability under various laws including the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019 , the Disability Act 2006 , the NDIS Act 2013 and Rules, Part 12A of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 , the Privacy and Data Protection Act and Health Records Act . 

• To represent the Public Advocate before Courts and Tribunals –

1. Provide legal representation for the Public Advocate and her officers at VCAT Guardianship List and Human Rights List hearings when required.
2. Provide legal representation for the Public Advocate and her officers before Courts and other Tribunals, such as the Magistrates' Court in relation to intervention orders, when required.
3. Attend VCAT Guardianship List hearings when Advocate Guardians and the OPA duty officer are unavailable to do so and such attendance is necessary to promote the human       rights of the person before VCAT.

• In collaboration with other OPA program areas, to provide legal and professional guidance:

1. To enhance quality assurance of OPA's work through development and review of practice resources, policies and skill development as determined from time to time.

2. To advise and assist on the management of information, namely FOI, privacy and confidentiality laws and to develop practice resources to assist compliance with statutory and common law requirements.

3. To ensure compliance by OPA's volunteer programs with their ethical and legal responsibilities.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About You:

As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

• Specialist knowledge of laws relating to one or more of the following, plus a demonstrated ability to acquire knowledge of other laws relating to:
  1. substituted and supported decision-making (guardianship and administration, powers of attorney, litigation guardianship, medical decision-making, compulsory treatmentthe National Disability Insurance Scheme and the NDIS Rules, policies and processes;
  2. privacy and confidentiality;
  3. rights of persons with disabilities generally and specifically under the Disability Act 2006 and Part 12A of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 ;
  4. administrative law.
• Experience in obtaining comprehensive instructions, undertaking research and providing authoritative legal advice on complex casework matters.
• Experience in advocacy and litigation, including appearance work.

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Must qualify as an Australian Legal Practitioner (as defined in Schedule 1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014)