• Advocate on behalf of Victorian clients experiencing disadvantage
• Undertake case work and regularly appear in courts and tribunals
• Fast-track your legal career with a two-year development program over four rotations
• 12 full-time, ongoing positions, including three designated positions for Australian First Nations candidates
• Starting salary of $80,024 plus superannuation & salary packaging benefits

New Lawyers Program

As the largest human rights, criminal, family and youth law practice in Victoria, our lawyers are committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged Victorians. We are a leading force for community access to the legal system and are seeking versatile lawyers who embody our values of fairness, care, courage and Inclusion to join VLA's New Lawyers Program (NLP), starting in October 2023.

As a VLA lawyer, you'll deliver high volume client services and handle busy court lists, but also identify opportunities for strategic advocacy to change our justice system and fight disadvantage and contribute to community legal education.

Can you see yourself doing this important work?

About the New Lawyers Program:

VLA's New Lawyers' Program is an amazing opportunity to learn on the job while being supported with strong mentors and structured training. This program has been designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to most effectively represent VLA's unique and diverse client base, and make positive change for Victorians.

The program will build your skills and experience in a different areas of law, with four placements (six months each) in VLA's different offices throughout Victoria (including at least one placement in regional Victoria) and our Legal Program Areas. This does mean you will required to change office locations every six months and additional travel is expected when at our suburban and regional offices.

On our New Lawyers Program, you will be supervised and supported by the NLP manager, senior lawyers, trained placement host managers and an in-house practice that includes 60 LIV accredited specialists.

At the end of the program, you will take up an ongoing lawyer role in one of our programs and offices – take your legal career in any direction!

About you:

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds and work experience who are pursuing a career in social justice, with an interest in criminal, family, and civil law.

VLA is also committed to progressing our vision for reconciliation in Australia and therefore especially encourage applications from Australian First Nations people.

We're looking for people with amazing career potential to grow their careers with VLA, who:

• Have a career interest in the social justice sector, and can adapt to changing work environments, clients, different practice areas of law, and office locations.
• Can act as an advocate, deliver legal advice and casework and undertake negotiation and dispute resolution on behalf of legal aid clients.
• Have high level communication and ‘people' skills. You can connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures, and explain complex legal matters so that people can understand and choose their way forward. You're also able to effectively work with corporate colleagues, lawyers and barristers and external stakeholders and organisations.
  
• Understand the complex needs of VLA's clients and the underlying systemic issues that contribute to our clients' legal issues. You can also explain the important role that external organisations, community and welfare groups play in providing appropriate services.
• Are excited to learn and develop. You research, analyse and apply different areas of law, and want to continuously develop your legal and advocacy skills through on-the-job learning and participation in our professional development programs.
• Are New Lawyers. You must be admitted to practice in Victoria or another Australian jurisdiction at the start of the program (October 2023), but we're only accepting applications from people with less than 12 months' post-admission experience in a role requiring a practicing certificate.

Our clients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds and foster a work culture that's inclusive as well as diverse. Your unique ideas and perspectives are valued so we can best represent the people we serve.

More benefits at VLA:

• Family-friendly, flexible hybrid work from home & office model
• Supportive team environment in modern offices
• Salary packaging which allows up to $15,900 of your salary each year to be tax-free
• Opportunity to join Myki Commuter Club (and salary package the cost)
• A structured Supervision Model and ongoing training and professional development opportunities

How to apply:

Please complete the Candidate Application Form (please see ‘file attachments'), and click the Apply Now button (below).

Then, submit the Candidate Application Form together with:

1. Your current resume (including two referees' details)
2. Confirmation of your completed law degree and/or practicing certificate.

Unfortunately, we can't accept applications that do not include the Candidate Application Form.

If you require adjustment to the recruitment and selection process or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Brian Dalupan, Talent Acquisition Consultant on (03) 9269 0413 or newlawyers@vla.vic.gov.au.


Applications close on 11.59pm on Monday 10 April 2023.
No agency applications will be accepted.