Principal Solicitor - Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC)

Apply now Job no:523054
Work type:full time
Location:Sydney, NSW
Categories:Legal, Knowledge Exchange

• Employment Type: Full Time, Continuing (35-hour week)
• Remuneration: Level 9 Position $138,171 - $146,613 + 17% Superannuation.   
• Location: Kensington, NSW.

Why Your Role Matters:

Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC) is a community legal centre providing free legal advice and assistance to our local community and to people across NSW. We are also a centre for clinical legal education as part of Law Justice UNSW. We provide legal help in areas such as domestic violence, elder law, credit and debt, victim’s compensation, housing, criminal law, employment law, discrimination and sexual harassment. We have specialist employment, discrimination and sexual harassment services and a Health Justice Partnership.

The position of Principal Solicitor oversees the Centre’s legal practice and manages the legal work  as well as undertaking advice and complex casework. The Principal Solicitor is a leadership role in the Centre and is involved in all aspects of the Centre’s work such as law reform, community legal education, responding to emerging legal need and delivering clinical legal education programs.

The role reports to the Director and is part of the leadership team at KLC.

This position is based at KLC located within UNSW Kensington Campus.

Accountabilities:

• Lead the planning and implementation of day to day operations of the Centre including supervision of legal staff, ensure compliance with insurance requirements of a best practice legal centre that delivers high quality legal work to our clients and community.
• Maintain stakeholder relationship and ensure compliance with insurance, professional standards, community legal centre accreditation requirements and funding agreements in collaboration with the leadership team at KLC.
• Supervise KLC staff solicitors, seconded solicitors and volunteer lawyers in their legal work, including ensuring regular induction, training and adequate day-to-day supervision.
• Support and contribute to the delivery of the strategic and operational goals of the Centre.
• Manage ongoing performance around legal work, including monitoring of solicitor performance and ensuring high quality service provision.
• Provide high quality legal advice and casework to the Centre’s clients including supervising evening advice nights as required.
• Analyse and monitor the Centre’s response to community legal need and in conjunction with KLC leadership develop innovative responses to this need.
• Maintain and develop critical relationships especially across the legal profession including with volunteers and pro bono support.

Skills and Experience: 

To be considered you will hold Australian Working Rights or Australian Citizenship. Visa sponsorship will not be available for this role.

• Eligible for an unrestricted practising certificate in New South Wales.
• Experience as a Principal Solicitor or Supervising Solicitor.
• Extensive experience in undertaking and supervising advice and casework, including litigation and specialised knowledge in an area relevant to the Centre’s work.
• Extensive experiencing supervising staff and students in a legal environment.
• Extensive experience in law reform and policy work or in the development and design of community legal education.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, and an ability to represent the centre in contexts such as public forums, inquiries and presentations.
• Extensive experience and understanding delivering legal services to disadvantage communities, including, extensive experience working with disadvantaged people including Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people, people with a disability and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
• Experience in delivering clinical legal education or supervising students in a legal practice.

Pre-Employment Checks:

• Verification of Qualifications
• Working with Children Check
• Criminal Record Check

Benefits and Culture:

People are at the core of everything we do. We recognise it is the contributions of our staff who make UNSW one of the best universities in Australia and the world.

Our benefits include:

• 17% Superannuation contributions and additional leave loading payments
• Career development opportunities
• Additional 3 days of leave over Christmas period
• Discounts and entitlements (retail, education, fitness), for further details please visit - Discounts & Entitlements | Jobs@UNSW
• Option to study and save with 50% off tuition fees for courses and degrees at UNSW.
• UNSW’s Flexible Work Policy provides staff with the opportunity to personalise worktimes (e.g., early start time to finish early).
• UNSW supports staff who have family responsibilities through a number of entitlements including parental leave, primary carer leave and more!

  For further details on the benefits, please visit https://www.jobs.unsw.edu.au/lifestyle-benefits

How to Apply:

Please submit both a CV and Cover Letter online before Monday 1st April 2024 by 11:30pm. Please ensure your Cover Letter addresses how your experience fits the role (maximum length 2 pages). A copy of the Position Description can be found here:  Position Description - Principal Solicitor.pdf

Get in Touch:

If you have any questions regarding the role or recruitment process, please contact Allyssar Hamoud, Talent Acquisition Coordinator at [email protected]

Please apply online, any applications sent to the contact above will not be accepted.

UNSW is committed to evolving a culture that embraces equity and supports a diverse and inclusive community where everyone can participate fairly, in a safe and respectful environment. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and encourage applications from people of diverse gender, sexual orientation, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, people with disability and those with caring and family responsibilities. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.

The University reserves the right not to proceed with any appointment.

Advertised:29 Feb 2024 AUS Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:01 Apr 2024 AUS Eastern Daylight Time