Director of Legal Practice

Job description

• Hours of work: The position is offered as a full-time (38 hours per week)
• Location: This position is based at the Fitzroy and Reservoir offices, with work from home flexibility. The role may involve travel to other offices and offsite as required.
• This position is classified at Level 8 of the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHCADS) Industry Award.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

Fitzroy Legal Service is dedicated to assisting the most marginalised members of the community with legal information, advice and representation, as well as championing law reform and conducting public interest litigation.

Fitzroy Legal Service provides legal services for communities who are disproportionately impacted by law and policy, and those who face systemic barriers to accessing justice. We provide various multidisciplinary outreach programs reaching communities of colour, people at risk of or experiencing homelessness, LGBTIQA+ communities and people who use drugs.

Our vision: A fairer Victorian community, where the legal and social systems support equality and justice for all.

Further information about FLS can be found on our website: fls.org.au.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

Reporting to and working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the Director of Legal Practice is a key leader at FLS. They provide leadership and direction to the organisation and deputise for, and act in the role of, CEO as required. Within a growing and dynamic organisation addressing diverse community need, the Director of Legal Practice supports the achievement of FLS’s strategic and operational goals.

The Director of Legal Practice provides leadership, management and oversight of the Legal Practice, setting a standard of excellence and quality improvement, and ensuring the Legal Practice complies with its professional obligations.

The Director of Legal Practice develops the organisation’s profile as a leader in high quality and innovative casework, policy and law reform, and legal service innovation.

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications and Experience:

• Australian Legal Practitioner eligible to hold a principal Practising Certificate (authorised to receive trust money)
• At least five years’ PAE in one or more of the following areas:
  • Criminal law
  • Family law/ family violence law
  • Civil community law
  • Administrative law/ public interest law

Essential:

• Experience working in and/or a deep understanding of the legal assistance sector
• Experience working with people from marginalised communities and people from diverse cultural and/or social backgrounds, including First Nations people
• Strong people management and leadership skills, including a demonstrated ability to support managers to lead high performing teams in a complex and changing environment and foster a supportive, inclusive and healthy culture
• Demonstrated management experience and skills, including the ability to plan, prioritise, meet deadlines and drive project outcomes
• High-level emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate sensitively, influence outcomes and build mutually beneficial relationships
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to garner trust, advocate, negotiate and obtain mutually beneficial outcomes
• High level analytical, strategic-thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to interrogate trends, and develop creative and innovative responses to changing circumstances
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage a legal practice and ensure compliance with legal professional obligations, risk management processes and other obligations
• Demonstrated understanding of the structures of inequality, a commitment to social justice, and an awareness of how the law can both alleviate and entrench social injustice

Desirable:

• Prior experience as a Principal Lawyer or equivalent
• Experience in managing a trust account
• Expertise in service planning, implementation, evaluation and project management
• Understanding of financial management and experience in development and monitoring of service or project budgets
• Experience in harnessing lived experience expertise, including through co-design and co-production and related processes.

For further information contact Hamish McLachlan, CEO, via [email protected] using the subject line: Director of Legal Practice enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Fitzroy Legal Service is an inclusive employer and complies with the laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, family responsibilities, irrelevant criminal record and other protected attributes. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from members of diverse communities and people with relevant lived experience.

To be eligible to apply for this position you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or hold a valid work permit or visa.

The successful candidate must undergo a National Police Check.

NOTE: Disclosure of a criminal record does not necessarily preclude employment with FLS, but if needed, we invite applicants to address this issue early in the application phase. Should a criminal record disclosure be advised by a candidate, FLS will endeavour to provide clarity over whether the conviction would preclude a candidate from being able to carry out the position duties.

A position description is attached.