The Victorian Public Advocate is empowered by law to promote and safeguard the rights and interests of people with disability.
The Public Advocate is supported by staff and volunteers at the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA), including guardians, policy and research officers, advice and education staff, legal officers, corporate and administrative staff, and more than 650 volunteers.
We embrace diversity and strive to have a workforce that reflects the community we serve. We’re all about recruiting the best people, regardless of gender, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or cultural background. If you think you can do the job and would be a good fit for our organisation, we’d love to hear from you.
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
For more information on working with us and our recruitment process, please visit justice.vic.gov.au/careers
If you are considering taking on a challenging, rewarding role that allows you to make a noticeable difference in the lives of others, we look forward to hearing from you.
- Utilise your legal expertise to provide support and advice to the Office of the Public Advocate
- An ongoing, full-time opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
- VPS Grade 5.2: $124,888 - $136,747 plus superannuation.
About the Business Unit:
The Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is an independent statutory agency that works to safeguard the rights and interests of Victorians with disability, to strengthen their position in society, and to reduce their exploitation, abuse and neglect.
About the Role:
The Senior Solicitor is a member of the Legal Unit which includes the Principal Solicitor, two other Senior Solicitors and a Legal Support Officer.
Some of your duties will include:
- Providing complex legal advice and casework, including tribunal and court appearance work
- Developing resources that are legally correct and practically useful to various programs at OPA in collaboration with other OPA programs
- Providing education and training in legal matters, as part of OPA's quality assurance program
To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.
About You:
As our ideal candidate, you will possess:
- Specialist knowledge of laws relating to one or more of the following, plus a demonstrated ability to acquire knowledge of other laws relating to:
- substituted and supported decision-making (guardianship and administration, powers of attorney, litigation guardianship, medical decision-making, compulsory treatment);
- the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the NDIS Rules, policies and processes;
- privacy and confidentiality.
- rights of people with disability under specifically under the Disability Act 2006 and Part 12A of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997.
- administrative law.
- Significant experience in obtaining comprehensive instructions, undertaking research and providing authoritative legal advice on complex casework matters.
- Demonstrable experience in advocacy and litigation, including appearance work in Courts and Tribunals
Qualifications/Requirements
- Currently qualifies as an Australian Legal Practitioner (as defined in Schedule 1 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law Application Act 2014)
How to Apply:
Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.
The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include reference checks, national police checks and misconduct screening. Dependant on the role, other checks may include VicRoads checks, drivers licence checks, medical checks, Working with Children Checks, and Declaration of Private Interests (for executive and responsible officer roles).
If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child a
buse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.