Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: $170,181 - $186,421
Grade: Grade in advertisement
Occupation: Legal
Location: Melbourne - CBD and Inner Metro suburbs
Reference: VG/VLA/VLAC/1878094
About the role
This is a key senior advocate role in Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) Chambers. The Senior Public Defender or Public Defender, Civil Justice provides high quality advocacy to legally aided clients in complex Civil Justice matters in state and federal courts and tribunals across Victoria, including:
Reporting to VLA Chambers Chief Counsel, you will appear as counsel in complex civil justice matters. You will also provide expert and high-level legal advice on complex and strategic issues across VLA's Civil Justice program.
You will work with Civil Justice lawyers and leadership to identify and develop opportunities for strategic litigation. You will assist in the training and mentoring of lawyers to develop their advocacy skills and knowledge of civil law.
You will have the opportunity to work within a dedicated and highly skilled team of advocates, and to use your advocacy expertise to contribute to quality legal practice in Melbourne and regional areas.
The Senior Public Defender is a more senior role than the Public Defender role, reflected in the higher salary, higher level of experience required and more senior responsibilities of the role. In your application, please indicate which role you are interested in, or if you are interested in both roles. If you are unsure which role your skills are more suited to, please contact us for a confidential discussion.
This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.
About you
You will have extensive experience, skills and ability as a civil law barrister or advocate. You will also have extensive and thorough knowledge, understanding and experience in the practice of civil law under both State and Federal legislation.
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:
Don't meet every requirement? At VLA, we understand that your work and life experiences can be just as valuable. If you're excited about this role but your CV doesn't align perfectly with our job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or one of our many other opportunities.
About Victoria Legal Aid
We provide legal representation to those who need it most. With over 1400 staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.
Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so that we best represent the people we serve.
Employee benefits
How to apply
To be considered for this role, please submit your current resume and a completed candidate application form (listed within the file attachments) addressing the role you are applying for.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or need an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team.
For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Madeline Ryan, Associate Director – Chambers on (03) 9269 0482 or Renee Rao, Recruitment Specialist on [email protected].
No agency applications will be accepted.
Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 24 August 2025.
Other relevant information
It is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.
VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.