1 Vacancy Early Intervention Solicitor (Family / Care and Protection

Vacancy
Early Intervention Solicitor (Family / Care and Protection) Part-Time Fixed Term
Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre
Legal Service
Are you inspired and motivated to work as a Solicitor in an innovative award winning
Community Legal Centre?
Who are we looking for?
We are seeking a Solicitor four days per week who has experience in family law and care and
protection to implement creative solutions in a co-operative manner within a strong team. We
seek someone who is self-motivated with excellent advocacy and written communication and
problem solving skills, and who has a strong social justice ethic.
We also seek candidates who can demonstrate cultural competency with Aboriginal clients and
communities.
Background Information
The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre is based in Lismore and operates four services:
Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service, Generalist Legal Service, Women’s Legal Service,
Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme. We also conduct an Aboriginal Legal
Access Project and Aboriginal Women’s Project. All services operate from a social justice
perspective.
For more information on NRCLC visit: http://northernriversclc.org.au/
Position Title:
Location:
Salary:
More Information:
Closing Date:
Interview Date: (TBC)
Early Intervention Solicitor (Family/Care and Protection) - until
30 June 2016 (with possibility of renewal to 30 June 2017 dependent
on funding)
Lismore with travel in the Northern Rivers Region
$68,553 – $73,427 (pro-rata) plus salary sacrifice package
Enjoy flexible working hours, a family friendly workplace and
great work/life balance
Ongoing training in Sydney and on the job support and
assistance provided
Contact the Legal Service Coordinator 6621 1000
4pm, Friday, 03 July 2015
Friday, 10 July 2015
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Submitting your application
Your application must be received no later than 4.00pm on 03 July 2015
Late applications will not be accepted unless you have an agreement with the Legal Service
Coordinator to submit your application after the closing date.
Applicants are requested to address the essential selection criteria in the position description to
be considered for interview.
A resume and two recent contact referees should be included in the application.
Please send your application marked ‘confidential’ to:
The Legal Service Coordinator
Email address:
[email protected]
Postal address:
PO Box 212, LISMORE, NSW 2480
Hand delivery
Level 1, 16 Carrington St, Lismore, NSW, 2480
address
EARLY INTERVENTION SOLICITOR (FAMILY / CARE AND PROTECTION)
SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Essential Criteria
Current Practising Certificate, or eligibility to practice as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of NSW
and High Court of Australia
Demonstrated ability to provide sound legal advice and assistance in Family Law and Care and
Protection Law
Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to social justice, demonstrated empathy with
target client groups including cultural competency with Aboriginal clients and communities (We
will expect you to define your understanding of social justice in your application and
demonstrate how you have applied your commitment)
High order written and verbal communication skills, including the demonstrated ability to apply
conflict resolution skills and experience representing clients in Alternative Dispute Resolution
Ability to work as part of a team in a co-operative work environment and to work with minimal
supervision
Efficient computer skills
Current driver’s licence and willingness to travel in the region and work at outreach locations
2. Desirable Criteria
Knowledge of and experience in Community Legal Centres or Family Relationship Centres
Demonstrated Experience in law reform activities
Demonstrated experience in the delivery of Community Legal Education
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JOB DESCRIPTION
1. Position Identification
Title:
Area:
Supervisor:
Employment Status:
Funding:
Salary:
Incumbent:
Early Intervention Solicitor (Family / Care and Protection)
Based in Lismore, with travel within the Northern Rivers (West to
Tabulam and South to Grafton, North to Tweed Heads)
Principal Solicitor and Legal Service Coordinator
4 days per week (28hrs per week) part time fixed term contract
until 30 June 2016
Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department and Legal Aid
NSW
$68,553 – $73,427 (pro-rata) - Salary and conditions of
employment are in accordance with the NRCLC’s Enterprise
Agreement. The pay rate is based on the SCHADS Award Level 7.
The pay point will be negotiated on commencement, based on
skills and experience. Salary Packaging is available.
Vacant
2. Principal Functions
Advice, Casework, Reporting, Community Education and Law Reform, Liaison and Networking
3. Accountability
The NRCLC Committee of Management
Via quarterly reporting to Legal Aid NSW
In consultation with the Legal Service Coordinator / Principal Solicitor undertake work in
accordance with the Annual Strategic Plan
Complete worker report for the Annual Report
4. Advice
The provision of legal advice and casework to clients of the Family Relationships Centre (FRC)
and parents/caregivers whose children are clients of Family and Community Services (FACS)
Appointments are in Lismore by telephone and face to face, and by outreach
Participation in evening advice roster where required
Respond to urgent requests from service providers for legal advice and information including
collaborative service delivery with Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners and Care and
Protection workers
5. Casework
Undertake casework in accordance with NRCLC policy and guidelines
Undertake casework in accordance with Annual Strategic Planning targets
Complete all file work in accordance with the Public Indemnity Insurance manual and
maintain up to date case list
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Representation at Alternative Dispute Resolution Conferences with Department of Family
and Community Services (FACS) workers and Family Relationship Centre Practitioners
Preparation of relevant documents (such as Consent Orders and Parenting Plans) if required
Assistance to clients in a non-adversarial and child focussed way
Please note the scope of work in relation to FRC and FACS is of an early-intervention nature.
FACS work is limited to the following:
Negotiation with FACS, for a parent or primary care giver to complete and vary Parent
Responsibility Contracts;
Negotiation with FACS, for a parent or primary care giver to enter into a Parent Capacity
Order
Advice and casework to assist parents or primary care givers and other parties where there is
a dispute about contact, after final orders have been made in the Children’s Court.
Representation at ADR for contact disputes, organised by Legal Aid.
FRC work is limited to the following:
Solicitor assisted Family Dispute Resolution
Drafting of Parenting Plans and Consent Orders
Assistance with drafting applications for self-represented clients who are unable to gain
Legal Aid assistance in line with collaborative law principles.
6. Community Legal Education (CLE) & Law Reform
Conduct Projects
Deliver CLE, including conducting workshops and disseminating educational materials
Produce original materials relevant to the region
Document the different strategies and processes undertaken, as a resource for future CLE
and law reform
Conduct evaluation of CLE
Contribute to identifying policies and law reform issues and integrate responses with: NRCLC
workers including management and volunteers; Community Legal Centres NSW, National
Association of Community Legal Centres; Regional Service Providers; and Relevant Specialist
Networks
Make recommendations for law reform, focussing on Northern Rivers residents’ access to
justice
7. Liaison and Networking
Represent NRCLC on relevant external committees and Interagency meetings
Develop and maintain links with relevant Northern Rivers agencies, government
departments and the private profession
8. Administration
Preparation of own materials including word-processing & photocopying, online research
Ensure files are kept up to date in accordance with Legal Service Policies
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9. Team Work
Assist in supervision of volunteers
Assist in front desk duties as required
Work cooperatively in a multi-disciplinary team
Attend staff meetings
Contribute to Centre service evaluations
Contribute to NRCLC decision-making processes and policy development, this includes
Centre planning and evaluation & input into development of Access & Equity strategies
Attendance at weekly Casework Meetings
Attendance at rostered Committee of Management meetings and sub-committee meetings
Participate in regular staff appraisals
10. Training and Development
Undertake in-house and external training, including training required by the Care Partner
program Legal Aid NSW
Provide in- house training for staff and volunteers
11. Equal Opportunity and Work Health and Safety
Comply with the Centre’s equal opportunity policies and procedures
Comply with WHS policies and safe work practices
______________________________________________________________________________
More Information about our application process
We hope this information sheet will give you a better understanding of Northern Rivers
Community Legal Centre recruitment and selection procedures and assist you in submitting
your application.
We do not acknowledge receipt of applications unless requested to do so.
The Selection Panel will make arrangements to interview shortlisted applicants. A phone call
will be made or email will be sent to other applicants advising them their applications were not
successful.
Local applicants will be interviewed in person. Interstate or capital city applicants will generally
be interviewed by telephone or video link. For telephone interviews a conference telephone is
used so all members of the Selection Panel are able to converse with the applicant. Interview
panels normally comprise three or four people. A list of the questions to be asked will be
provided to interviewees 30 minutes prior to interview. All questions will be based on the
selection criteria.
Successful applicants will be contacted by telephone and sent a written offer of appointment.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by phone or by letter if we are unable to contact you
within 48 hours of the decision being made.
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Applicants who meet the selection criteria but are not the highest scoring interviewee, can be
placed on a six month eligibility list. If the successful applicant resigns within this period, the
position can be offered to people on the eligibility list, in the order in which they have been
placed by the selection panel.
Where a similar position becomes vacant within the organisation, the highest ranking member
of the six month eligibility list may be offered the position, provided that the Centre Manager
and relevant Service Coordinator is satisfied that the list member meets the criterion for the
subsequent position.
Applicants who are dissatisfied with the decision of the selection panel or any aspect of the
recruitment or selection process should outline their concerns in a letter to the Management
Committee.
The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre is an equal opportunity employer and staff are
expected to initiate and/or comply with current equal opportunity principles.
16 Carrington St, Lismore, 2480
PO Box 212 Lismore 2480
Administration & Legal Service
02 6621 1000 Fax 02 6621 1011
Tenants Advice & Advocacy Service 02 6621 1022 1800 649 135 Fax 02 6621 1033
Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service 1300 720 606 Fax 02 6621 1055
ABN 98 071 395 652
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