Senior Legal Officer – Guardianship – Townsville

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is an independent statutory office established to protect the rights and interests of adults with impaired decision-making capacity, and children and young people in the child protection system and other visitable sites. Join us as we protect, support, advocate, educate and empower, to build a Queensland where our most vulnerable community members can live with dignity. Please visit the OPG website to learn more.

• Fixed-term temporary, flexible full-time
• Contribute to a multi-disciplinary workplace
• CBD location, close to public transport

about the role

The purpose of the Senior Legal Officer role is to:

• Advocate and make decisions in legal matters for adults with impaired decision-making capacity as a delegated guardian in accordance with the Public Guardian Act 2014 and the Guardianship and Administration Act 2000.
• Provide advice and assistance to the Public Guardian (and their delegates) in relation to the discharge of the Public Guardian’s statutory functions and exercise of their statutory powers particularly in relation to guardianship decision making.

key responsibilities:

• Undertake advocacy and substitute decision making for adults with impaired decision-making capacity, or support other delegated officers, where the Public Guardian is appointed as a guardian for legal matters in areas of law such as criminal law, mental health, child protection, domestic/family violence and family law in line with the policies, practices and procedures of the Office of the Public Guardian within a supported decision-making framework. This includes:

• • Ensuring that clients are legally represented, providing instructions to and assisting instructed legal representatives to ensure that clients achieve the best possible outcomes as a result of their interactions with legal processes.
  • Maintaining positive working relationships with adults with impaired decision-making capacity, their families, legal representatives, services providers, advocates, government agencies and other interested stakeholders of guardianship clients.
  • Advocating, negotiating and ensuring that decision-making processes for clients are in compliance with the applicable legislative principles under the Public Guardian Act 2000, the Guardianship and Administration Act 2000 and the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 and organisational guidance in relation to supported decision making.
  • Attending and appearing in litigation events when necessary including the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, the Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts, the Mental Health Review Tribunal and Mental Health Court, Children’s Court and family law courts.

• Build and sustain positive relationships with team members, contribute to a multi-disciplinary workplace and actively participate in team planning and performance improvement processes.
• Actively engage, build rapport and foster collaborative relationships with relevant internal/external stakeholders to promote the effective performance of the guardianship functions including contributing to the development/delivery of professional development opportunities about the work of the team and the role of the Office of the Public Guardian more generally.
• Create and maintain records, including client records, in accordance with the Public Records Act 2002 that support legal guardianship functions and performance reporting.
• Undertake research and provide advice to the Manager Guardianship (Legal) on issues of law, policy and practice relating to the rights and interests of adults with impaired decision-making capacity which impact on service delivery to those clients by the Office of the Public Guardian.

mandatory qualifications, conditions and requirements

• A degree in law from a recognised tertiary institution and ability to be immediately admitted as a barrister or solicitor is required to perform this role.
• Preference will be given to applicants with a minimum of 2 years post admission experience in child protection or criminal law jurisdictions highly favourable.
• Employees appointed at PO4 classification will be required to progressively obtain greater specialised knowledge through postgraduate qualifications or developmental experience through attendance at specialist seminars and achieve higher level of outcomes under reducing professional direction.
• Possession of a C class drivers’ license is a mandatory requirement for this role, as travel is required to attend court, meetings, and visits in a range of locations that are often not accessible by alternative means.

A position description is attached.