Permanent Appointment

Use your legal expertise to champion consumer protection, uphold industry standards, and help shape confidence in the systems that support Western Australians every day.

Would you like to work in a genuinely exciting, flexible and friendly work environment? We offer a range of benefits, including flexible working hours and working at home, to help support you and get the best results possible for our community.

We value diversity and appreciate every individual’s perspective, bringing together a diverse and inclusive workforce to drive innovation and success. Whether it is enabling good governance to local communities, regulating racing, gaming and liquor activities, resolving consumer and trade disputes, monitoring compliance, protecting workers’ health and safety, or rolling out new technology to provide better customer service, the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety (Department) is committed to delivering for the benefit of WA and future generations.

The role

The Industry Regulation and Consumer Protection Legal Division (IRCP) provides advice and legal services to Departmental clients that is accurate, timely and solution focussed. Our internal clients include the Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Building Commissioner, Plumbers Licensing Board, Building Services Board and Director of Liquor Licensing, amongst others.

The Department assists the Minister for Commerce, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Racing and Gaming to administer a huge range of statutes so there is always plenty of interesting and varied legal work!

Our lawyers also provide written legal advice in relation to a variety of interesting simple and complex matters, legal drafting, strategic and operational advice to assist with effective investigations and enforcement actions as a regulator of excellence.

In this role you will  provide advice and conduct litigation, with limited supervision on behalf of statutory office holders and Department in a broad range of simple, complex and sensitive matters. These may include civil penalty proceedings under the Australian Consumer Law or Fair Trading Act 2010 (WA), disciplinary action in the State Administrative Tribunal against traders in various industries or in relation to licensing matters, and criminal prosecutions in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia. You may also conduct proceedings, assist senior lawyers or instruct counsel (including the State Solicitors’ Office) in the conduct of proceedings in the Supreme Court, District Court or other jurisdictions.

As a lawyer you will have excellent legal research and writing skills and the ability to apply these skills in a regulatory and enforcement context to determine which offences or breaches of legislation may proceed to litigation in tribunal, civil or summary criminal proceedings.

Please refer to the Job Description Form (JDF) attached for further information regarding the position, including any specific requirements, leadership capabilities and pre-employment checks which will be assessed as part of the selection process.

While this selection process will initially be used to fill the above vacancy, it may also be used to fill other similar vacancies (permanent, fixed-term, full-time or part-time) within the department and across the WA public sector for the next 12 months, from the date that the recruitment breach period has been finalised.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a permanent appointment, applicants must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or have a visa to live and work indefinitely in Australia at the time of application. Applicants with a valid visa to work and live in Australia for a specific duration may be assessed and considered suitable for similar fixed term vacancies that arise.

Should a qualification be required for this position, applicants must provide their certification and/or academic transcripts to verify relevance to the job requirements. Qualifications obtained outside of Australia must be provided with an assessment from the Overseas Qualifications Unit to ensure they meet Australian Standards (this is a free service).

To be employed with LGIRS, you must meet the pre-employment requirements of the position and provide consent to undertake relevant pre-employment screening, which may include a Conflict of Interest Declaration, medical assessment, psychometric assessment, Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check, and/or other relevant checks and clearances.

More information about eligibility requirements can be found on the Job Description Form.

Further information

Please contact Steven Morganti, Senior Lawyer on (08) 6552 9334 or via Steven.MORGANTI@lgirs.wa.gov.au or visit our website. You can also keep up to date on LGIRS achievements and activities by following us on LinkedIn

How to apply

Please provide:

A detailed resume outlining your key achievements, work history, education and professional development and covering letter of no more than two (2) pages, addressing the following role specific requirements and leadership behaviours:

• Degree in Law.
• Current Australian practising certificate that enables the holder to engage in legal practice as a government legal practitioner or eligible to obtain one prior to commencement of employment.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting litigation in criminal, civil and disciplinary proceedings, including the provision of high quality and effective advocacy before the Courts and the State Administrative Tribunal, including as trial counsel or in more complex interlocutory hearings.
• Deliver on High Leverage Areas - You identify and understand the competing priorities of your work area, prioritising essential tasks and making adjustments as appropriate.

Shortlisted applicants will have their skills and experience in relation to the remaining role specific requirements and leadership behaviours assessed in further stages of the recruitment process. The complete list of role specific requirements and expected leadership behaviours can be found in the attached Job Description Form.

In the attached Applicant Information Pack, we offer further information on how to apply, and the range of incentives offered to employees who work with LGIRS. If you have any questions about employment conditions or the application process, or require any technical support when submitting your application online, please contact Matt Ball, Senior Recruitment Officer on (08) 9222 0434 or email RecruitmentandEngagement@lgirs.wa.gov.au.

To submit your application, click on the “Apply for Job” button at the bottom of this page. You will be asked to complete several questions, before attaching your resume and covering letter.

Supporting diversity and inclusion

The department is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and supportive workplace.  That’s why championing diversity and inclusion is so important to us; when we embrace different perspectives and give everyone the chance to be the best they can be, we can think in new, creative ways that grow and enhance our department.  Our department is an equal opportunity employer, supported by the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (WA), preference may be given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people of diverse sexualities and youth.

We are proud to be recognised as an Inclusive Employer for 2023-2024 by Diversity Council Australia. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion here.

We use the National Relay Service (NRS) to ensure we are accessible to people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. NRS can help you connect with us on:

• TTY/voice calls – 133 677
• Speak & Listen – 1300 555 727
• SMS relay – 0423 677 767

If you have any access needs that may require adjustment to allow you to fully participate in the application and interview process, including alternate methods of communication, or to request a document in an alternative format please contact us at RecruitmentandEngagement@lgirs.wa.gov.au.

CLOSING DATE: 4.00 pm on Friday, 18 September 2026 (WST)

Please ensure you allow yourself sufficient time to lodge your application online as late applications will not be accepted. It is your responsibility to ensure your application is submitted on time.

We look forward to receiving your application and considering you for this exciting opportunity to join our team.