Paralegal – Family Law (DVU)

August 5, 2022
$74117 - $81158 / year
Urgent
Application deadline closed.

Job Description

Paralegal – Family Law (DVU) – Dubbo – Temporary position and Talent Pool

Are you looking for innovative, interesting work in a multi-disciplinary team? Are you committed to helping the most vulnerable members of our communities? Are flexible work arrangements and training, development, and mentoring opportunities important to you?

We are looking for Paralegals to join our Domestic Violence Unit (DVU). DVU is a specialist team of lawyers, specialist domestic violence case workers, mental health workers and financial counsellors who work together to help clients who have experienced domestic and family violence with their legal and other needs.

We use a trauma-informed approach to provide advice and assistance, duty services at court, some complex casework and community legal education.

About us

We are the largest legal aid agency in Australia. We have an office in Central Sydney and 28 offices in metropolitan and regional centres in NSW — including 2 ‘satellite’ offices at Walgett and Bourke. We also have several specialist services and advice clinics.

If you work with us, you’ll work with people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, women and children, Indigenous people and people with mental illness who may need help to enforce and defend their rights.

About the role

We are looking for autonomous individuals who can undertake high level administration and some file work on a range of family law matters including: brief preparation for counsel, briefing letters to experts, inspecting and collating subpoena material, preparation and co-ordination of a range of family law documents, legal research and the provision of high level assistance in offices across the State.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will be undertaking or have completed tertiary legal studies or have previous experience as a paralegal. You will deliver work of a high quality within the timeframes imposed by the courts or the solicitors you are assisting. You will be focussed on the detail and proficient in all aspects of legal research, including the ability to locate relevant cases and legislation. You will utilise technology efficiently to assist solicitors in preparing for and undertaking electronic hearings. Most importantly, you will work well as part of a small, dedicated, and enthusiastic team.

Essential requirements

You must:

  • be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you start
  • hold Australian or NZ citizenship, Australian Permanent Residency (essential for ongoing vacancies) or a valid working visa (for temporary vacancies)
  • be willing to have a Criminal Record Check or Working with Children Check (or both) done

The Family Law Division have a number of roles where it is a statutory obligation for staff to hold a valid Working with Children Check. If you are successfully placed on the Talent Pool, please note you will be required to provide your Working with Children Check details prior to commencement in any role requiring the check.

How to apply

  1. You MUST submit your application online through www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au to be considered. Late applications will not be accepted.
  2. You should read the role descriptions and consider the focus capabilities and key accountabilities when you prepare your resume and cover letter:
    1. Role Description – Paralegal
  3. Please attach:
    1. your current resume (no more than 5 pages)
    2. a cover letter (no more than 2 pages). In your cover letter please respond to these questions:
      1.    Outline your relevant experience that will equip your for this role.
      2.    Outline your experience in managing a busy workload and competing demands. What techniques do you use to stay organised and meet competing priorities?

Aboriginal people are encouraged to apply

Whilst this job advertisement is open to all applicants, Aboriginal people are encouraged to apply.

The pre-screening questions ask if you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Aboriginality is defined by descent through parentage, identification as being Aboriginal and being accepted in the community as such.

If you are an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and are thinking about applying, you can contact our Aboriginal Services Branch at [email protected] to arrange a confidential conversation about any questions you may have.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion

We want people with diverse backgrounds to apply — including people with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTQI+ community, culturally diverse people, and other diverse communities.

We are committed to providing culturally safe workplaces, practices and services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. We strive to be an organisation where Aboriginal people want to work, where we value Aboriginal voices and culture.

We acknowledge, support, and accommodate the diverse access needs of people with visible and invisible disabilities.

If you need a reasonable 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 [email protected].

Other information

We’ll use a few different assessment techniques in the recruitment process to help us assess your capability and suitability for the role.

We may conduct interviews and assessments by video, telephone, Microsoft Teams meetings or other methods.

We’ll use this recruitment to fill any current vacancies we have, and also to create a Talent pool we can draw from to fill any similar temporary or ongoing vacancies that may arise over the next 18 months.

Here is some other information to help you prepare your application:

  • Applying for a Role
  • Working at Legal Aid NSW
  • Temporary vacancy up to 2025 at 35hpw at Dubbo
  • Contact person for enquiries:
  • Salary Range: $74,117 – $81,158 plus superannuation & leave loading
  • Jobs Board Ref No. 000091XX
  • Closing Date: Sunday 21 August 2022 [11:59pm]