Senior Solicitor Coronial and Criminal Law Practice - Urgent Position

Full-Time | Fixed Term 12-month Contract | Bathurst

• Opportunity to provide high-quality legal representation and advocacy for Aboriginal clients, ensuring their legal issues are resolved effectively.
• Play a key role in mentoring and providing legal education to junior solicitors, helping to develop the next generation of legal professionals.
• Collaborate with a diverse team of legal, field, and administrative staff, utilizing your strong interpersonal and communication skills to achieve effective coordination across the organization.

Primary Purpose of the role 

Primary purpose of the role is to provide high-quality legal advice, representation, and advocacy to clients in resolving legal issues, including coronial jurisdiction, court appearances (list work, short matters, defended hearings, committal proceedings, District Court appeals/sentences), instructing counsel in District Court trials, and representing Aboriginal clients in criminal matters by preparing briefs and instructing counsel.
 

Why join the ALS team?
 
At the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) you can make an impact. You will join a strong movement fighting for social justice and equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities. 

Our focus is our people: the people we support and the people 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 people and appreciate the rich diversity of lived experiences, languages, and culture. 
 
Born out of a protest movement over 50 years ago, the ALS is an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation delivering high-quality, culturally safe legal and support services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in NSW and the ACT. It’s an exciting time to be joining us. We recently received additional funding to deliver a range of new programs aimed at addressing systemic issues and driving structural reforms. This is creating significant opportunities for the ALS, our staff and communities. 
 
As well as the satisfaction of working in a job that really matters, we offer our staff benefits including:

• Not-for-profit salary packaging to reduce your tax liability and maximise take-home pay
• Annual leave loading of 17.5%
• Career and professional development opportunities
• Access to personal counselling for you and your family
• Additional paid leave of up to 6 days per year, paid parental and study leave 
• Flexible work options – talk to us about how we can make this role work for you

About the role

The Senior Solicitor is part of the Coronial and Criminal Law Practice Team. 

The Senior Solicitor will be responsible for:

• Provide high-quality legal advice, representation, and advocacy to Aboriginal clients in criminal matters and coronial matters.
• Appear and advocate in various court proceedings, including list work, hearings, appeals, and instructing counsel.
• Prepare briefs, research, and instruct counsel for Aboriginal clients' criminal matters.
• Demonstrate respect for Aboriginal cultural practices and continuously learn about local Aboriginal customs.
• Maintain orderly files, good time management, and coordinate court schedules efficiently.
• Mentor and provide legal education to junior solicitors as directed.
• Collaborate with legal, field, and administrative staff, providing guidance and support when necessary.
• Stay updated on criminal law legislation, case law, and court procedures; assist in law reform submissions.
• Oversee work allocation, workload management, briefing external representatives, and policy implementation as directed.
• Liaise with stakeholders, maintain inter-agency relationships, adhere to ALS policies (EEO, WHS, Code of Conduct), and perform other reasonable duties.

About you

We’re looking for someone who brings:

• Legal qualifications and a NSW Practicing Certificate with a minimum of 3 years experience in Criminal Law
• In-depth knowledge, understanding and of the Criminal Law, including practice and procedure
• Excellent written and oral communication skills combined with strong time management, interpersonal, legal research and problem solving skills
• Ability to work autonomously within a criminal law environment, meet conflicting deadlines and manage a demanding workload
• Ability to display sound judgment and proven capacity to provide high quality legal representation and advice to Aboriginal clients
• Ability to meet deadlines, work without supervision and manage a diverse workload, together with high level conceptual, analytical and research skills
• Demonstrated commitment to the effective implementation of Workplace Health & Safety and Ethical and Diversity practices in the workplace
• Knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and social needs of Aboriginal people combined with continuing respect and support for Aboriginal cultural practices in dealing with clients, their families, communities and staff
• Current valid unrestricted NSW Driver’s licence and a willingness to drive in metropolitan and country locations, travel intrastate and stay overnight or longer

Pre-employment requirements:
 
ALS is committed to implementing safe recruitment practices. Your application may be subject to pre-employment checks such as reference checks, Working with Children (NSW) or Working with Vulnerable People (ACT) check, Right to work in Australia, COVID-19 vaccinations and National Police History check.
 
How to apply:

Please click apply now. Before you begin, make sure you have an up-to-date CV and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.

• When sending your application, please ensure you include the reference number 2024-95 in subject title
• If you have questions about this role, please email Dominic Holles at [email protected]

Applications for this position close at 11:59 PM Sunday 26th May 2024.