Solicitor Pool - South West Regional Office (Bunbury)
This pool recruitment process will be used to fill permanent, fixed term, full time and part time vacancies that may arise over a period of 12 months from the date of finalisation of the recruitment process.
We currently have one Permanent full time position to fill immediately.
About the role
Being part of the Legal Aid South West regional office team means that you will provide a range of quality client centred legal services to the local community, with a particular emphasis on criminal law duty lawyer, legal advice, minor assistance, and prison visiting services. These duties involve direct contact with clients at the Legal Aid office, courts, prisons, detention centres, and other outreach locations.
You will have the opportunity, as a junior level practitioner, to quickly gain a broad range of criminal law advocacy experiences appearing before multiple magistrates, for diverse matters and assisting clients from varied backgrounds often with complex circumstances. You will provide duty lawyer services for criminal law (including traffic) matters every day of the week, every week, as part of the South West legal team who cover multiple court sittings, scheduled concurrently at multiple locations across the SW. This includes regular travel by road (often solo) to South West Magistrates and Children’s Courts sittings covering Bunbury, Busselton, Manjimup, Collie, Harvey, and Margaret River.
To be successful in this role, you will:
- Have post-admission experience in criminal law.
- Put our clients at the centre of everything you do.
- Communicate in plain English and have an ability to build rapport with clients.
- Interact confidently and sensitively with our client base who are made up of people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life, including persons with complex needs, presenting with drug and alcohol issues, mental health issues, distressed or agitated due to their legal situation.
- Work both autonomously and as part of a team in often high-pressure and time sensitive situations.
- Organise yourself so that your time is managed effectively, and deadlines are met.
- Enjoy working collaboratively with all our stakeholders.
- Be able to deal with exposure to potentially disturbing and/or emotionally draining matters such as graphic evidentiary materials and details relating to serious offences of a sexual or violent nature including matters involving women or children.
About us and what we can offer you
Legal Aid WA is an independent statutory authority funded by the State Government and Commonwealth Governments. We provide services to over 100,000 clients each year in the areas of criminal, family and civil law across Western Australia.
Legal Aid WA is a provider of customer centred services and fosters a culture of inclusion. We appreciate differing viewpoints and cultural diversity and value all perspectives as we strive for excellent customer service through process improvements and innovation.
We offer a strong team working environment and a range of benefits in line with business requirements, which may include professional development opportunities, flexible working and leave arrangements and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
Please visit www.legalaid.wa.gov.au to find out more about us.
Further information
Download the documents attached for more information about how to apply for a job with Legal Aid.
If, after reading the attachments, you have any additional questions, please contact Derek Hunter, Solicitor in Charge, on phone (08) 9721 2277 or email derek.hunter@legalaid.wa.gov.au
If you are a First Nations person who would like assistance with your application, please contact Jobs and Skills WA on 13 64 64 or go online to: https://www.jobsandskills.wa.gov.au/aboriginal-services
Assessment
The attached Job Description Form (JDF) provides an overview of the solicitor role, along with the selection criteria against which you will be assessed throughout the selection process. Alignment with Legal Aid’s values will also be considered in the panel’s assessment of candidates. Please take time to familiarise yourself with the role prior to applying.
How to Apply
Applications are made online. In addition to the questions being asked in the online application, you should also submit:
- A comprehensive CV (max. 5 pages) that outlines your relevant experience and demonstrates your ability to meet the job requirements, focusing on the criteria in the relevant JDF (refer to attachments); and
- A cover letter (max. 3 pages) responding to the following three questions:
- Outline your experience conducting criminal law matters and providing legal services to disadvantaged people.
- What are the major challenges you believe you will encounter as a Legal Aid criminal lawyer?
- What strengths, skills and experience would you bring to the role to overcome these challenges?
Tip - written communication skills will also be assessed at the application stage so be sensible with font and margin sizes.
Qualifications and minimum experience required for the role will also be assessed by the panel at application stage.
Click the “Apply for Job” button at bottom of this page to submit your application. APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED VIA www.jobs.wa.gov.au.
Please allow enough time to submit your application, as late applications will not be accepted.
Failure to submit the required information may result in the selection panel being unable to fully assess your application.
If you are experiencing any difficulties in applying online, or do not have access to the internet, contact Regina Tatchley on (08) 9261 6496 and quote recruitment ID LA22628.
Substantive Equality
Legal Aid Western Australia is an equal opportunity employer, we recognise the value that people of diverse backgrounds bring to the workforce. We are committed to improving employment opportunities and outcomes through the recruitment, development and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people with disability.
As a measure to achieve equality, sections 51 and 66R of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 apply to this position. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and/or people with a disability are strongly encouraged to apply and to indicate within their application to which diversity group they belong.
For First Nations specific information regarding working at Legal Aid WA, including our First Nations Staff Network, please visit First Nations Employment
Pool conditions
As this is a pool, vacancies will be offered on a full-time or part-time permanent or fixed-term basis. This selection process may also be used to fill other similar vacancies throughout our organisation that arise within the term of the pool. It is important to note that appointment to the pool is not a guarantee that you will be offered a term of employment.
Other Conditions
Appointment to all positions at Legal Aid WA is subject to a satisfactory national criminal history check, integrity and conflict checks and 100-point identification check
ATTACHMENTS:
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guidelines for job applicants 2021.pdf
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la22628 - solicitor - criminal - bunbury - scl 1 or 2 - jdf.pdf
You can view and print these PDF attachments by downloading
Adobe Reader.
WORK TYPE:
Permanent - Part Time, Permanent - Full Time, Fixed Term - Part Time, Fixed Term - Full Time
LOCATION:
Bunbury
CLOSING DATE:
2022-11-30 4:00 PM
(YYYY-MM-DD)