• Location: Newcastle – plus a Statewide Talent Pool About us Legal Aid NSW helps people with their legal problems. We can help people with most areas criminal law, family law and every day civil law legal issues. We give legal advice, help at court and do family dispute resolution. We can do this over the telephone or at one of our 28 offices. About the role In the role of Solicitor Advocate, your main responsibilities will include providing legal advocacy in District Court trials and sentences, cases conferences and other criminal matters on behalf of Legal Aid. About you We are looking for an experienced criminal lawyer with a track record of preparing and appearing in District court trials representing clients in complex criminal sentencing matters. You will also have experience preparing case conferences relating to complex EAGP matters. Previous experience mentoring staff within the Criminal Law Division on matters relating to advocacy will be highly regarded and the ability to work with high volume caseloads. WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN LEGAL AID NSW We are committed to diversity and inclusion We are committed to creating a culturally safe and genuinely inclusive organisation and workplace for everyone who works and interacts with us. We strive to be a place where people from diverse backgrounds want to work, where voices and cultures are valued and where people feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard. We want a workforce that reflects our clients, so we can deliver a service that meets the needs of the community. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability, the LGBTQI community, culturally diverse people and other diverse communities. We acknowledge, support and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities. If you need an adjustment to participate in the recruitment process, or you’d like information about what we can do to help you, please contact our team at erecruitmentlegalaid.nsw.gov.au. Other benefits of working with us · You will have access to training, development and mentoring opportunities. · We are an accredited Flex Ready certified employer and are recognised as leaders in the area of flexible work. Most of our staff work flexibly — for example, from home some of the time or in a way that helps them balance family and work life. The essential requirements for this role You must: · be admitted as a legal practitioner in NSW · be able to provide a current NSW Practising Certificate before you start work with us · be willing to do a Criminal Record Check · hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (for ongoing vacancies) or a valid visa to work in Australia (for temporary vacancies) · hold a valid NSW Drivers Licence · have the ability to travel to regional and remote areas. How to apply You MUST submit your application online through iworkfor.nsw.gov.au . If you submit your application late or by email it will NOT be accepted. Your application must include: · your resume (no more than 5 pages) · cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter, please outline your motivation for applying for this position and how your skills and experience are relevant to the role. Please include in your response your preferred work/office location. Make sure your application is complete and you have answered all questions before you submit it. Do you need help to apply? It’s important to properly prepare before you apply for a role. Here is some other information to help you: · If you have questions about the role, you can contact the Hiring Manager – Melissa Burgess on email: melissa.burgesslegalaid.nsw.gov.au . · If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and are thinking about applying, you can contact the Aboriginal Services Branch to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have. · The Role Description sets out the responsibilities of the role. · The focus capabilities and key accountabilities in the role description indicate what is expected at that level. Being familiar with these will help you understand what the panel will be looking for in the successful candidate. · Applying for a Role · Working at Legal Aid NSW