CUSTODY NOTIFICATION SERVICE (CNS)

Do you want to use your legal skills to help vulnerable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people? This is a great opportunity for lawyers wanting to do important work outside of the standard ‘9-5 regime’. Previous criminal law experience is desirable but not essential. Custody Notification Service training is provided. Salary commensurate with experience and as follows:

- Salary commensurate with experience with a casual rate of $46.25 to $48.93 (Restricted Practitioner) and $51.06 to $68.84 (Unrestricted Lawyer) per hour plus 25% causal loading and superannuation. Shift penalty rates are payable.
- CNS operates 24-hours, 7-days a week, which requires flexible availability to work days/nights/weekends/public holidays - shifts are 8 hours long.
- Must be able to work from home.
- Attractive employee benefits including salary packaging.

Please note, shift work is an essential requirement of this position.

Applicants need not apply if unable to work shifts, in particular afternoon, weekend and night shifts

About the service

The Aboriginal Legal Service of WA Limited (ALSWA) provides a 24-hour seven day per week Custody Notification Service (CNS) for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people detained in a police facility in Western Australia. The CNS is a phone service that provides a culturally competent and thorough welfare support complemented by access to necessary legal advice and information. Under Western Australian legislation it is mandatory for police to contact the ALSWA CNS every time an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is arrested or apprehended by police and detained in a police facility, irrespective of the reason. The CNS adopts a dual welfare/legal approach.

About the role

Due to the 24-hour seven-day model, this role will require flexibility of hours with contact time outside of normal working hours including weekends and public holidays. The successful candidates must be able to conduct their duties from their home (or other approved location). The main role of the Lawyer CNS is to ensure that the CNS calls are answered according to procedures, and appropriate support is provided as required. This includes ensuring that the immediate health, safety, and wellbeing needs of the detained person are identified and work with police, family and other services to ensure those welfare concerns are addressed. Where ongoing welfare needs are identified, the lawyers will work with the CNS support workers and refer the person to available community-based services and emergency/crisis services.

The Lawyers CNS will also, where relevant and with consent of the detained person, provide appropriate legal advice, liaising with relevant legal services including ALSWA of possible charges, court dates, bail status and other relevant legal issues.



The role also requires liaison with police, family and other agencies as required to explore bail options (and/or access to diversionary options) for the detained person with a view to minimising unnecessary remands in custody.

The CNS works collaboratively with the other units of ALSWA including regional offices and programs, and all communication with WA Police, detainees and other service providers is expected to be polite, considerate, and professional. The role also requires that systems of data management and reporting are undertake in accordance with program expectations, professional standards, legal frameworks and statutory requirements as well as ALSWA’s policies and practice standards.

About you

This position requires a responsible person who is compassionate and self-motivated with well-developed interpersonal skills and personal integrity. You will have the ability to identify issues of relevance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Western Australia, including access to justice and the difficulties faced when interacting with the criminal justice system. You are committed to providing trauma-informed and culturally safe legal and support services to Aboriginal people. You will enjoy working in a fast-paced environment. To be considered for this opportunity, you will also need to meet the following criteria:

- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as part of a team comprising legal and non-legal staff with a willingness to learn and share knowledge with others.
- Highly developed communication skills (interpersonal, written and verbal) and the ability to deliver plain language legal advice and information and communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are experiencing complex trauma and other circumstances of vulnerability, including mental illness.
- High level organisational and time management skills with the ability to work under pressure.
- Highly developed conceptual and analytical skills
- Ability to confidently use workplace technology including proficiency in the use of MS Office (MS Word, Excel, Outlook) and the capacity to quickly acquire competency in the use of CNS’s client database.
- Ability to work flexible hours, from home (or other approved location) to cover a 24-hour seven day per week rotating roster including shifts outside of standard working hours (8am to 5pm).




- A good level of resilience, self-care and focused management of own wellbeing.

Prerequisites specific to the position

- Eligibility to hold a current WA Practicing Certificate.
- Ability to obtain a satisfactory police clearance and hold a valid current Working with Children Check card.
- Committed to the principles of social justice.
- An ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

SHIFT HOURS

Day Shift (s) 8.00am to 4.00pm and 12.00pm to 8.00pm Afternoon Shift 4.00pm to 12.00am

Night Shift 12.00am to 8.00am

About our benefits

We have a friendly, caring and diverse work environment. We offer attractive employment advantages including salary packaging (making part of your salary tax-free), internal staff well-being services, free counselling services to employees and immediate family through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and opportunities for professional development.

About us

ALSWA is a not-for-profit independent government-funded Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation working to provide high-quality representation and assistance to the Aboriginal community in WA. We aim to deliver a quality legal service and education that contributes to the participation, empowerment and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout WA.

ALSWA has 11 offices across regional WA and practices in the areas of criminal, civil and human rights, and family law, as well as law reform, community legal education and programs including the Custody Notification Service (CNS), Custody Wellbeing Service (CWS), Youth Engagement Program (YEP), Bail Support Service/Prison In-Reach Legal Service (BSS/PIR), Old Ways New Ways (OWNW), and the Work and Development Permit Service (WDPS).

We live our values of caring, sharing and respect.

How to apply

To submit your application, please click the 'Apply' button or send your application to [email protected] Your application must include a cover letter outlining what strengths you could bring to the tole and your resume. Addressing selection criteria is not required. If you wish to discuss this opportunity in further detail, please contact ALSWA Human Resources on (08) 9265 6666 9265 6666).

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 3 October 2026

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are seeking to increase the diversity of our workforce to better meet the differing needs of our clients and to improve equal chance outcomes for our employees. ALSWA strongly encourages applications from Indigenous Australians. We also encourage applications from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and people with a disability. We provide an environment that values diversity and supports all staff to reach their full potential

📌 Lawyer (Casual Contract - shift work) (Perth)
🏢 Aboriginal Legal Service of WA
📍 Perth