Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service Co-Operative Limited

VICTORIAN ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE CO-OPERATIVE LIMITED

POSITION DESCRIPTION

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

To provide high quality legal services, including duty lawyer services, representation, advice and information in criminal law matters, including serious indictable matters, to members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Victoria.

VICTORIAN ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE VISON AND VALUES

Vision:TheVALS will have a fair, equitable and accessible legalassistance service system which is available to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Values:The VALS is committed to caring for the safety and psychological well-being of clients, their families and communities and to respecting the cultural diversity, values and beliefs of clients.

Mission:To improve the access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to high-quality, culturally sensitive and responsive legal services and to undertake reform activities, so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples rights are protected and promoted.

1.DUTIES

1.1Appear as an advocate in various courts including the Children’s Court Criminal Division, Magistrates Court, County Court and Koori Courts in order to represent clients of VALS.

1.2Deliver a quality legal service by conducting casework in criminal law matters, including serious indictable matters, for members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

1.3Participate in the on call after hours roster and provide emergency advice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Victoria. As a priority, ensure all VALS clients are represented whilst in custody.

1.4Participate in community legal education projects, law and policy reform and other VALS projects as required.

1.5Participate in case-planning meetings.

1.6Contribute to and participate in the collaborative relationship between Victoria Legal Aid and other community organizations with whom VALS interacts.

1.7Keep up to date with relevant legal developments and procedures by attending professional legal education programs and maintain an understanding of issues impacting the justice system and members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

2.MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS

2.1Admitted or eligible for admission as a legal practitioner in Victoria.

2.2The incumbent will be required to obtain a Working with Children check.

2.3A current Victorian driver’s licence.

3.KEY SELECTION CRITERIA (Applicants will be assessed against these criteria). These should include knowledge, experience and abilities required listed in order of importance.

3.1 Capacity to work as an advocate and caseworker in complex criminal law matters.

3.2 Substantial knowledge of and practical experience in the law and court procedures with a focus on the criminal law jurisdiction.

3.3 Ability to supervise, mentor and train staff and contribute to the development of individuals and their knowledge and skills in criminal law.

3.4Sound interpersonal skills and the capacity to communicate effectively with members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

3.5 A commitment to and understanding of the legal issues faced by members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community in Victoria.

3.6The ability to work collaboratively with others and to foster a co-operative and supportive team environment.

3.7A knowledge of the principles and values of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.

3.8Basic competencyin the use of MS Office Software (particularly MS Word, Excel, E-mail) to a legal practice and the capacity to quickly acquire competency in the use of VALS’ client data base.

4.OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION

4.1This position is based at the VALS office in Preston, Victoria.

4.2You will be required to travel across Victoria to deliver services to the Victorian Aboriginal communities. Sometimes this travel will occur outside of usual business hours.

4.3Staff will be required to obtain a police check and/or a working with children check.

5.ORGANISATION CONTEXT

VALS is a community driven legal practice for all members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Victoria. VALS provides legal services to members of the community both in-house and through the use of private practitioners or members of the Victorian Bar from time to time. Our services include duty lawyer services, case work on individual cases, advocacy, legal information and community legal education.

Our legal Practice is divided into three areas: Criminal Law, Family Law, Civil Law. Our offices are based in the regions in Morwell, Bairnsdale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Mildura, Ballarat and Heywood.

In each of the regional offices VALS has a Client Service Officer to ensure community has access to the organization and lawyers. VALS also offers a 24 hour per day legal access to both client service officers and lawyers on call.

The position reports to thePrincipal Legal Officer – Criminal.

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Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service

Updated January 2016