Senior Lawyer
Full time or Part time
HUB Community Legal, 79 Poinsettia Street, Inala QLD 4077 plus regular travel to courts or outreach locations in Ipswich, Brisbane, & Logan.
Reporting to: Principal Lawyer
Salary: Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Industry Award 2010, Level 6
Conditions: Flexible working arrangements; some work from home is possible; external supervision available; attractive salary sacrifice options.
HUB is committed to being a culturally safe and inclusive organisation where the diverse experiences of our staff are valued. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people are encouraged to apply.
About HUB Community Projects Inc (“HUB”)
Our vision: A just and inclusive community.
Our purpose: HUB is a not-for-profit organisation that advocates for and engages with our diverse community. We offer legal services through HUB Community Legal and community centred neighbourhood activities at HUB Neighbourhood Centre.
We’re open to all members of the community and focus our services where we can have the greatest impact. We work in flexible ways across Inala and the south western suburbs of Greater Brisbane. We offer a blend of support through our neighbourhood centre and legal services. We work together with other services in a welcoming community space.
Our values
- Ethical: We are committed to ethical practice, accountability, and
- Respectful: We respect individuals for their diverse backgrounds, experiences, approaches and
- Inclusive: We encourage, empower, and support community
- Collaborative: We work in partnership with people and other organisations to benefit the
- We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet and We pay our respects to Elders, past and present.
Our goals
- Provide quality, prioritised, and accessible legal and community services
- Increase community participation and access to justice
- Advance effective governance and a high performing team
- Amplify impact through strong connections with community and key partners
POSITION SUMMARY
As a senior lawyer at HUB, you will improve access to justice through direct legal practice, community legal education, advocacy, and mentorship. They key responsibilities are to:
- Provide comprehensive legal services in areas of law relevant to people experiencing disadvantage (e.g. general civil, family law, and criminal law issues) and participate in HUB’s court rosters for domestic and family violence duty lawyer services.
- Take a lead role in organising and supervising HUB’s volunteer legal advice clinic.
- Take a lead role in supervising and mentoring HUB’s early career lawyers, law students and volunteers to ensure service quality and support professional development.
- Develop and conduct community legal education programs tailored for diverse groups and
- Contribute to the identification of systemic issues arising from our legal practice work and support HUB’s law reform and advocacy work as required.
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
The items listed below are indicative and not exhaustive.
Legal Service Delivery:
- Provide high quality legal advice, information, referrals, representation, and casework in general areas of law relevant to people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage, such as general civil, family, and/or criminal law.
- Perform Duty Lawyer services as part of the centre’s court roster for domestic and family violence and/or child protection.
- Deliver services from a variety of locations in Ipswich, Brisbane and Logan.
Community Legal Education and Advocacy:
- Develop and deliver targeted community legal education sessions and materials where a need is identified.
- Contribute to the identification of systemic issues arising from our legal practice work and support HUB’s law reform and advocacy work as required.
- Build relationships with relevant stakeholders to achieve better outcomes for
Team Leadership and Supervision:
- Take a lead role in supervising and mentoring HUB’s early career lawyers, law students and volunteers to ensure service quality and support professional development. Be available to HUB’s lawyers for legal questions and debriefing needs.
- Take a lead role in the organisation and supervision of HUB’s volunteer legal advice
Organisational Contributions
All HUB personnel are expected to:
- Adhere to all relevant legal, professional, and organisational standards, including compliance with legislation, risk management guidelines, internal policies, and professional development requirements.
- Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of all legal work, ensuring data integrity and timely reporting to funding bodies as required.
- Actively engage in and contribute to a collaborative, supportive, and productive team environment through regular participation in professional development, staff meetings, operational planning, and organisational
- Demonstrate a proactive approach to resource management, optimising the use of time, materials, and equipment to maintain operational efficiency.
- Uphold the highest standards of quality assurance in all legal work and ensure consistent delivery of services.
- Promote and ensure a safe and healthy work environment, adhering to safety guidelines and fostering a culture free from discrimination and harassment.
- Engage in self-care practices and manage workload to prevent burnout, supported by the organisation through access to an employee assistance program or external supervision as needed.
- Be adaptable and responsive to changing priorities, tasks, and organisational needs, undertaking additional duties as reasonably directed by the Principal Lawyer or Director to support the ongoing success of the
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Office based work primarily from HUB Community Legal office located in Inala, with regular travel to various locations in Brisbane, Ipswich, and Logan. Some work from home is possible, subject to operational requirements and
- Travel is an essential part of the role for effectively delivering outreach legal services and participating in court duties and employees must use their own vehicle or have reliable transportation to access the various work locations (travel allowance payable per the Award).
- Some flexibility to adjust your work hours, accommodating both professional and personal commitments.
- Additional paid leave is typically offered over Christmas/New Year
- Involves working with people facing complex legal and social issues, and exposure to possibly sensitive or distressing
- Access to Employee Assistance Program and external supervision is available as
- Possible evening work to supervise volunteer legal
ACCOUNTABILITY
- Reports to the Principal Lawyer for daily operational legal practice issues and professional supervision related to the role.
- Reports to the Director for all other operational issues and
- Overall, accountable to the Management Committee of HUB Community Projects Inc.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Mandatory Qualifications
- Qualified to practice as a solicitor in Queensland and either hold or be immediately eligible to hold a current unrestricted Queensland Law Society practicing certificate.
- Accredited, or willingness to obtain Domestic & Family Violence Duty Lawyer and Mental Health Review Tribunal accreditation.
- Possess a valid driver’s license and have access to a comprehensively insured vehicle, OR demonstrated ability to travel efficiently by other means between varied work locations.
Desirable Qualifications, Experience, and Attributes
- Legal Experience: Considerable experience in providing legal advice, casework, and Experience or willingness to acquire knowledge in areas of law relevant to people experiencing disadvantage (e.g. general family law, minor civil law, criminal law, domestic and family violence).
- Commitment to Social Justice: Hold values aligned to an organisation with a social justice purpose.
- Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to engage effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds, including those who may have experienced violence/trauma, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, people with disabilities, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
- Team Collaboration and Leadership: Demonstrated ability to efficiently manage own workload, set priorities, and meet deadlines, both independently and as part of a small Includes taking initiative, accepting responsibility, and contributing to a positive work environment. Experience in supervising and mentoring staff, particularly early career and volunteer lawyers, is highly regarded.
- Advocacy and Education: Ability to work collaboratively with team members to deliver the centre’s community legal education and law reform efforts.
what’s in it for you
- Use your legal skills to enhance access to justice
- Shape the role to make it your own
- Competitive NFP Salary Packaging, 12% super, & additional leave gifted over Christmas/New Year
- Welcoming, collaborative, and inclusive team culture
- Flexible working arrangements that support work-life balance, including options for some work from home
- Professional development
- Wellbeing support through access to our Employee Assistance Program and external supervision to support wellbeing
- Immediate start, full time or part time negotiable
How to Apply
HOW TO APPLY
Closing date for applications is 5 PM, Monday, 7 October 2024. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Your application must include:
- A cover letter outlining why you are applying for this position and your responses to the mandatory and desirable qualifications, experience and attributes criteria included in the position
- A resume outlining your skills, experience, and
Direct enquiries to Alison at alison@hubcommunity.org.au.
