Australian Centre for Disability Law – Surry Hills NSW

Position Title: Solicitor – Speak Up Project

Award/Classification: Contract Role – non-ongoing Level 5 or 6 (depending on experience) Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHCADS)

Position Status: Part-time, non-ongoing (21 hours per week) to Project end date 24 February 2023 (maximum term contract)

Working Hours/Days: 9.00am to 5.00pm (or as otherwise agreed)

Salary Range: Salary range $50,000 - $55,000 (part-time 21 hours per week) depending on experience, plus 9.5% employer superannuation

Advantages: Leave loading, salary packaging options and an additional 2 weeks paid ex gratia leave (inclusive of public holidays) over the Christmas/New Year period

Responsible to: Principal Solicitor and Project Steering Committee

Location: Surry Hills, NSW and COVID-19 working from home arrangements

OVERVIEW

The Australian Centre for Disability Law (the Centre) is a specialist legal centre based in Sydney. The Centre operates a law practice across NSW with a focus on disability discrimination, and a disability and human rights law practice across Australia. It was established in 1994 to assist people with disability and their associates to learn about and pursue their rights under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth).

In December 2019, First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), Australian Centre for Disability Law and People with Disability Australia (PwDA) (the Consortium) were awarded a grant from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) to undertake a project to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disabilities to understand their legal rights and advocate for themselves (Speak Up Project).

The Speak Up Project will build the capability of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders with disability and their families and communities to assert their legal rights, speak up to perceived authority and negotiate effectively from a position of strength with schools, employers and service providers. The project will also provide education and develop peer support to address the cultural blindness associated with some disabilities.

This position reports to the Managing Principal Solicitor and the Project Steering Committee and will work closely with project staff from First Peoples Disability Network and People with Disability Australia.

ROLE SUMMARY

The role of the Solicitor is to work with the Consortium partners to develop and deliver culturally appropriate legal resources to Aboriginal people with disability and their communities.

Key Responsibilities and Main Duties

- Collaborate with First Peoples Disability Network and People with Disability Australia in all aspects of the project
- Undertake desktop research with FPDN and PwDA to investigate current and emerging legal issues for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people with disability specific to project locations; other similar projects and initiatives; issues unique to demographics (gender, age, disability); literature on legal issues that arise and where and how people currently seek support and assistance and current partnerships
- Assist in identifying locations in NSW for initial project outreach
- Develop legal resources, including community legal education seminars, legal health checks, legal fact sheets and similar materials to assist Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- Prepare reports to the funding body, ACDL management, the project steering committee, and other ad hoc reports as required




- Attend organisational activities such as ACDL staff meetings, planning meetings and team development initiatives

The Project will focus on legal issues arising from intersectional discrimination, providing education and support to parents and the community supporting children with foetal alcohol syndrome and legal rights arising from COVID-19.

This role requires a solicitor with experience in working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities and the legal issues they experience.

This role will involve travel to selected regional, remote and rural locations to identify key legal issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Travel within the Sydney metropolitan area is also required. Other forms of communication will be utilised to conduct workshops and outreach where travel is not appropriate.

The applicant will be experienced in working in projects, including preparing reports, and delivering to deadlines.

Other duties as required.

The successful applicant will be required to undergo both a Working with Children and National Criminal Record check.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

ESSENTIAL SELECTION CRITERIA

1. Hold (or eligible to hold) a practising certificate in NSW, and at least three years post-admission experience
2. Ability to effectively communicate and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and knowledge of social justice issues in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
3. Demonstrated understanding and experience, or the capacity to acquire understanding, in disability discrimination legislation and other disability-related legislation, policies and practices, and at least two other areas of law affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with disability, such as race discrimination legislation, the NDIS, fines, consumer law, family law or domestic violence
4. Demonstrated experience in undertaking legal research to produce fact sheets and other legal resources, develop and deliver community legal education and community outreach programs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
5. Excellent presentation skills, adept at conducting presentations to all levels of staff and stakeholders
6. Demonstrated experience in working in a multi-disciplinary project team
7. Ability to travel to rural, regional, and remote locations to conduct workshops and community outreach legal services and community legal education programs
8. Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, manage competing priorities, work professionally and collaboratively with the Consortium Partners, team members and stakeholders to provide legal and non-legal support to First Peoples with disability and their associates

DESIRABLE

9. Personal or family experience of disability

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Written responses addressing the selection criteria with clearly labelled, separate responses to each of the essential and desirable selection criteria

Applications close 5pm, 1 February 2021

POSITION DESCRIPTION – SOLICITOR – SPEAK UP PROJECT

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. 1. Promotion and Networking




- Participate in relevant networking meetings to increase ACDL’s client base
- Participate in community events

- 2. Legal Practice Management

- Provide operational support to the Principal Solicitor in the management of the ACDL’s legal practice including project work, casework and policy advice
- Participate in internal management and staff meetings, professional development and organisational development and planning activities
- Provide high-quality legal advice regarding disability discrimination and other areas of civil law affecting people with disability
- Act in accordance with the National Association of Community Legal Centres accreditation and risk management/professional indemnity insurance requirements as well as ACDL’s strategic direction
- Provide high-quality general and structured referrals for people with disability and their associates
- Work with Consortium partners on the First Peoples Empowerment Project to identify legal needs in First Peoples communities

- 3. Law Reform and Community Legal Education

- Contribute to or develop publications, fact sheets and other legal resources dealing with discrimination issues and other civil law issues as required under the First Peoples Empowerment Project
- Initiate or contribute to law reform activities in relation to family law, discrimination issues and other areas of civil law
- Develop, deliver and participate in education and training events conducted by the Consortium or colleague agencies, including community legal education and continuing legal education
- Disability advocacy and representative groups
- Domestic violence peak bodies and related bodies
- The Australian Disability Rights Network
- Community legal centres
- The Australian Human Rights Commission and Anti-Discrimination NSW

- 4. Policy and Procedure Development

- Participate in the review and development of ACDL policies and procedures

- 5. Working Relationships

- Take direction and work collaboratively with the Principal Solicitor, raising ideas and issues as they arise
- Participate in yearly performance reviews and regular supervision meetings
- Provide supervision and guidance to pro bono legal volunteers who staff the ACDL advice line, as required
- Provide executive support to the Management Committee and Principal Solicitor as required

- 6. Reporting

- Undertake all necessary clerical administration, create and maintain client files, data collections
- Prepare reports as required under the First Peoples Empowerment Project
- Provide written reports, develop fact sheets and submissions for funding proposals, and contribute to annual reporting

- 7. Organisational Management and Teamwork

- Work effectively with staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences of disability
- Comply with ACDL’s policies and procedures, including the NACLC Risk Management Guide and professional responsibilities, and Workplace Health and Safety protocols
- Complete WHS training as required
- Provide input into the strategic direction of ACDL
- Participate in funding submissions relevant to the role
- Assist in the general administration of the centre
- Support, monitor and supervise volunteers and students at ACDL

It is not the intention of the position description to limit the scope or accountabilities of the position but to highlight the most important aspects of the position. The aspects of the position described above may be changed or altered in accordance with the changing requirements of the role.

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📌 Solicitor - Speak Up Project (New South Wales)
🏢 Australian Centre for Disability Law
📍 New South Wales