Senior Lawyer, Mental Health and Disability Law

Join the Mental Health and Disability Law team: provide expert legal advice and high quality advocacy in areas that affect people’s rights. This role will also involve supervision, mentoring and training junior lawyers.

- Full-time ongoing position (part-time applications considered)
- Salary range: $104,925 - $122,409 plus super
- Up to $15,900 in salary packaging, flexible hybrid work arrangement

About the role Make a difference acting as an advocate by providing expert legal advice and conducting casework in complex civil law matters. As a Senior Lawyer in the Mental Health and Disability Law team, you will be appearing in various courts and tribunals to effectively advocate for clients with civil and human rights issues, with a focus on mental health and disability law. You will also contribute to projects aimed at improving access to justice and delivering consumer-centred, trauma-informed legal services.

The role will also involve supervision, mentoring and training junior lawyers in civil law. You will also contribute to and support professional legal education and civil law training programs.

This role is based at our Melbourne CBD office on Wurundjeri Country.

About you As our ideal candidate, you will possess:

- Demonstrated capacity to work as an advocate and caseworker in complex civil law matters including case strategy skills and sound forensic judgment, with a focus on mental health and disability law highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to provide strategic advice on legal and policy issues and contribute to law reform,



strategic advocacy and service design initiatives in relation to civil law issues, with a focus on mental health and disability law highly desirable.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and experience working with diverse clients.
- The ability to assist in supervising, mentoring and training junior lawyers in civil law.
- A current unrestricted Australian practising certificate which entitles you to practise in Victoria as a government legal practitioner/principal of a law practice.

About VLA We offer legal representation, family dispute resolution and non-legal advocacy to those who need it most. With over 1500+ staff employed in 16 offices across Victoria, we help people with their legal problems by providing information, advice and education with a focus on the prevention and early resolution of legal problems.

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 that we best represent the people we serve.

Employee perks

- A focus on work‑life balance, including flexibleworking arrangements
- Hybridwork fromhome& office model




- Generous leave benefits, including:
- Three days paid seasonal leave (to be taken between Boxing Day and New Year's Day public holidays)
- Paid gender affirmation leave
- Five days both paid reproductive and fertility leave per calendar year

- Annual 3% salary increase each December plus performance-related salary incentives
- Attractive salary packaging options including General Expenses up to $15,900, Meals & Entertainment up to $2,650 PLUS Novated Leasing
- Discounted annualMyki public transport passes
- Individual learning and professional development opportunities, tailored to your role and career goals
- Free annual flu vaccinations
- Access to gym and end‑of‑trip facilities at our CBD office
- Access to our Employee Assistance Program, including confidential counselling and access to a range of mental health and wellbeing resources.

For further information, please review the attached position description or contact Charley Brumby‑Rendell, Managing Lawyer, Mental Health and Disability Law on (03) 9269 0*** or ***********@vla.vic.gov.au.

Applications close by 11.59pm on Sunday 4th October 2026.

Other relevant informationIt is a requirement that staff attend for office-based days at their primary work location. In line with this requirement, interstate applications will be considered only where the candidate is able and willing to relocate to Victoria, unless part of a border community.

VLA is committed to putting the safety and wellbeing of children first.

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📌 Senior Lawyer, Mental Health and Disability Law (Melbourne)
🏢 Victoria Legal Aid
📍 Melbourne