Senior Lawyer - Darwin, Northern Territory - Top End Women's Legal Service Inc

Description

ABOUT TEWLS

The Top End Women's Legal Service ('TEWLS') is a not-for-profit, specialist women's legal service focused on the advancement of women's rights. We provide integrated, holistic, trauma-informed, and culturally secure free legal and support services to women and non-binary people living in the Top End of the Northern Territory (primarily, the Greater Darwin region). We are an accredited community legal centre and a member of Women's Legal Services Australia.

TEWLS provides legal and support services in the areas of family, migration and civil law, with specific expertise held in respect of domestic, family and sexual violence ('DFSV'). As a specialist DFSV legal service, our multidisciplinary team provides legal advice, casework and representation (litigation), legal information and referral, and wraparound support services to our clients, with expertise in assisting clients with intersectional vulnerabilities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse women, migrant women, women experiencing DFSV, women with a disability, and women experiencing financial disadvantage. Our client-centred practice model maintains a significant DFSV and family law legal practice, as well as migration law and an extensive civil law practice including in areas of tenancy and public housing, discrimination, sexual harassment, consumer law, complaints, child protection, and employment law.

TEWLS also provides community legal education and input on law and policy development to build government and community capacity to work towards deeper legal and cultural change to redress power imbalances and address violence and gender inequality.

In 2025, TEWLS is expanding our service capacity and reach to provide legal and support services to more women than ever before across the Top End.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the TEWLS Principal Lawyer, the Senior Lawyer will provide high quality, culturally appropriate and holistic legal assistance, including legal advice, casework and representation (litigation), and legal information and referral to women and non-binary people in the Greater Darwin region within TEWLS' practice areas, with particular focus on clients experiencing or at risk of experiencing DFSV.

The Senior Lawyer will work within TEWLS' specialist women's services practice, and under the general direction of the TEWLS Principal Lawyer, will be expected to apply (and if required, acquire) a high level of expertise to provide legal services across a range of matters. Critically, the Senior Lawyer will have the skills to sensitively take instructions from clients who have experienced and/or are experiencing DFSV, child sexual abuse and other forms of discrimination and abuse by way of trauma-informed best practice principles, and provide support, advice, and referral options within a trauma-informed framework.

In addition to the above, the Senior Lawyer will undertake a broad range of complex casework and have responsibility for the carriage of complex projects, including community legal education ('CLE') and law reform. The Senior Lawyer will also undertake a day-to-day mentoring role for less experienced legal practitioners in specified legal matters/areas of law, as well as supervise the work of volunteer lawyers and students, as required. In support of and collaboration with the TEWLS Principal Lawyer, the Senior Lawyer may be required to assist in the development and maintenance of requisite legal policy and procedures.

As part of TEWLS' growing structure, the Senior Lawyer will receive support and training to aid their development whilst working towards the service's purpose of facilitating access to justice for women. Organisational and administrative responsibilities are also a component of this position.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1.     Legal advice and casework

1.1.  Providing high quality legal advice and casework to clients, including court representation at Northern Territory and Federal Courts, as required.

1.2.  Developing and/or maintaining a strong level of technical competence in the NLAP MH streams core practice areas, including DFSV, family, and civil law.

1.3.  Managing your file load under the supervision of the TEWLS Principal Lawyer.

1.4.  Mentoring and/or supervising other legal practitioners in respect of specified legal matters, as directed.

1.5.  Sensitively taking instructions from clients who have experienced DFSV, child sexual abuse and/or other forms of discrimination and abuse, and provide support, advice and referral options within a trauma-informed framework.

2.     Community legal education and law reform

2.1.  Planning and delivering CLE workshops and associated materials, as required.

2.2.  Working within the TEWLS team, identifying, researching, and preparing law reform and lobbying submissions, as well as projects and funding applications, that contribute to TEWLS' purpose and service priorities.

3.     Stakeholder engagement

3.1.  Representing TEWLS in a variety of public forums to promote the work of the service, including network meetings and consultations.

3.2.  Developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders to deliver outreach services to the community, with a focus on working in an integrated and collaborative manner.

4.     Organisational responsibilities

4.1.  Accurately capturing all legal and non-legal service data through TEWLS' internal data and file management systems.

4.2.  Attending regular TEWLS staff and legal practitioner meetings and planning day sessions as required.

4.3.  Participating in regular performance discussions and development reviews.

4.4.  Undertaking ongoing professional development in accordance with legal professional regulations and in consultation with the TEWLS Principal Lawyer.

4.5.  Providing supervision to students and other volunteers as requested by the TEWLS Principal Lawyer.

4.6.  Ensuring compliance with TEWLS' policies and procedures.

4.7.  Undertaking personal administrative duties within TEWLS as required.

4.8.  Such other projects, activities and duties that may be determined in collaboration with the TEWLS Chief Executive Officer and Principal Lawyer.

REQUIREMENTS

1.     Admitted to practice/eligible to apply for an unrestricted practising certificate in the Northern Territory.

2.     A minimum of five (5) years' post admission experience in Migration, Family and/or Civil Law, with priority for experience in Family Law and domestic, family and sexual violence.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Essential:

1.     An understanding of legal issues facing women in the Northern Territory, including barriers to justice, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women, migrant women, and women experiencing DFSV.

2.     A commitment to promoting the interests of women.

3.     An understanding or capacity to develop an understanding and commitment to working in a trauma-informed framework.

4.     Resilience in working with clients who are experiencing or have experienced traumatic events.

5.     Ability to provide high quality legal advice and casework services, including court representation, as well as legal information in a relevant field.

6.     Ability to perform and interact as an efficient and productive team member and use initiative whilst under the supervision of the TEWLS Principal Lawyer

7.     Ability and competency in providing mentoring and/or supervision to less experienced staff.

8.     High level verbal and written communication skills.

9.     Proven initiative and organisational abilities, including time management skills and the ability to prioritise in a pressured environment.

10.  Commitment to professional and personal development, and willingness to develop further professional skills relevant to the workplace.

11.  An understanding of DFSV through a gendered violence lens.

12.  Holder of a current open driver's licence.

13.  Aptitude in using Microsoft computers and Microsoft Office programs (such as Word and Excel) necessary to complete required tasks, and a willingness to perform administrative duties, as required.

14.  Ability to provide and/or obtain a Northern Territory Ochre Card.

Desirable:

1.     Demonstrated experience in the practice of Family Law and/or DFSV and/or Child Protection, including litigation.

2.     Relevant experience in the development and delivery of CLE.

3.     Relevant experience in law reform and lobbying.

TO APPLY

Please email CV and cover letter addressing the selection criteria to Rachael Hillier, Office Manager,

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Rachael Hillier, Office Manager, by phone on or email to  using the subject line: Senior Lawyer Position

TEWLS is committed to working together to achieve a more inclusive community. Our workplace strives to be one that embraces and celebrates diversity and the wide range of skills, expertise and experience we can all bring to strengthen our dynamic, collaborative and responsive environment.

TEWLS encourages people from all backgrounds to apply, particularly those that identify as part of LGBTIQA+ community, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and people with disabilities.