Senior Lawyer or Lawyer – Civil Law Practice HRCLS

Hume Riverina Community Legal Service (HRCLS)

Position: Senior Lawyer / Lawyer Civil Law

Location: Wodonga, Victoria

Employment Type: Full-time permanent

Classification: Victorian Community Legal Centres Multi Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 – The classification and salary will be determined based on qualifications, skills and experience

About us

Hume Riverina Community Legal Service (HRCLS) is a service of Upper Murray Family Care (UMFC) – a proudly independent, community-managed organisation, dedicated to strengthening families and individuals across North East Victoria and the Southern Riverina of NSW and an organisation committed to social justice, inclusion and trauma-informed care.

HRCLS is a generalist, place-based, cross-border community legal service that supports people facing everyday legal problems through our Civil Law, Family Law and Family Violence practices. Working alongside community, education, health, and specialist family violence services, including through health justice partnerships, we provide integrated, client-centred support that improves access to justice.

Why Join Us?

We offer:

• Salary between $100,044 and $124,053 (pro rata) plus superannuation (based on skills and experience)
• Salary packaging to maximise your take-home pay
• 5 weeks annual leave (pro-rata) plus 3 additional leave days between Christmas and New Year
• Relocation assistance of up to $2,500
• Flexible working arrangements that support work-life balance
• Ongoing In-house training and professional development opportunities!
• A supportive, collaborative workplace committed to wellbeing and continuous learning

About the Role

Join a passionate and experienced team dedicated to improving access to justice for young people experiencing disadvantage and complex civil law and related issues. This is an opportunity to undertake meaningful legal work while enjoying strong professional support, flexible working arrangements, and a genuine commitment to staff wellbeing.

We are looking for a compassionate, motivated and client-focused Lawyer to join our dedicated team in providing trauma-informed, holistic and client-centred legal services to young people as part of our Invisible Hurdles program. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people by providing high-quality legal advice, representation and advocacy, while working collaboratively with a supportive and experienced team.

As a Lawyer within our Civil Law Practice, you will:

• Deliver legal assistance services including information, advice and casework to young people.
• Provide duty lawyer services and court representation where required.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with sector stakeholders, partner and community organisations
• Provide secondary consultations to partner organisations and key stakeholders
• Design and deliver community legal education and professional development activities
• Contribute to law reform and systemic advocacy initiatives.
• Actively participate in team, practice and organisational meetings and activities

Senior Lawyers will have a minimum 5 years post admission experience and will also supervise legal and non-legal work undertaken by Lawyers and Paralegal Support Workers.

Is This You?

We welcome applications from experienced practitioners seeking a senior role, as well as lawyers who are looking to further develop their expertise within a supportive and collaborative environment.

To be eligible, you will need to hold (or be eligible to hold) an unrestricted practising certificate in Australia.

Additionally, the following will be highly valued:

• Understanding of trauma-informed practice
• Legal practice experience
• Court representation experience in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and/or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

As our ideal candidate, you will:

• Demonstrate a commitment to social justice and access to justice principles.
• Be resilient, empathetic and adaptable
• Bring strong legal analysis, communication and advocacy skills.
• Apply a trauma-informed and client-centred approach to service delivery.
• Be reflective and committed to continuous learning.

At HRCLS, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families experiencing legal disadvantage while being supported by a highly skilled, collaborative and values-driven team. If you are passionate about social justice and want to contribute to positive change in our region, we encourage you to apply.

Your Next Chapter Begins

Live and work in Wodonga, a vibrant regional city on the Murray River, offering an enviable lifestyle with easy access to Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. Enjoy excellent local food and wine, outdoor recreation, the nearby snowfields and a strong regional community.

The Position Description for this role is based on a Lawyer who holds an unrestricted practising certificate and has between 3 and 5 years of experience. The role is also open to newly admitted and senior lawyers, with the Position Description and level of responsibility aligned to the successful candidate’s skills, experience and level of practice.

The relevant Position Description can be accessed via the UMFC Careers page by selecting the applicable vacancy.

https://employmenthero.com/jobs/organisations/upper-murray-family-care/.

For more information or a confidential discussion, please contact Sarah Rodgers at srodgers@umfc.com.au

How to Apply

To apply, please click the ‘apply’ button and submit:

• A current resume; and
• A cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria outlined in the Position Description.

Screening questions: After submitting your resume and cover letter, you will receive an email containing a link to complete the screening questions. Please note screening questions are a requirement of your application.

We encourage you to apply as early as possible. Applications will close as soon as a suitable candidate is appointed.

At UMFC, child safety is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to be a Child Safe and inclusive organisation, welcoming people of all backgrounds.

As part of our recruitment process, we conduct comprehensive screening checks.

We strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally diverse communities, individuals with disabilities, and people of all genders.