SUPPORTIVE TEAM | 9.5-DAY FORTNIGHT | FIRST-YEAR LAW STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO APPLY | NO LEGAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | CAREER PROGRESSION

About the role

Are you a driven first-year law student eager to gain hands-on experience in family law?

Are you looking for a firm that will genuinely mentor and invest in your career from day one?

What we are looking for

We are looking for a positive, growth-driven and coachable first-year law student who is eager to learn and join our Team as a Legal Assistant.

No experience in a law firm is required. Customer service and/or administration experience will be highly regarded.

About BFL

Barton Family Lawyers is a specialist family law firm with offices on Brisbane's north side at Chermside and Petrie.

We have particular expertise supporting people experiencing narcissistic abuse, coercive control and family violence.

We offer fixed fees for all services, giving our clients transparency and control over their legal costs.

Your Role

You will be our first point of contact for our clients at our Petrie office where we help empower separating couples, many of whom have experienced domestic violence, to make informed decisions following separation and to have power and control over their future.

Every interaction you have will help shape our clients' experience during one of the most challenging periods of their lives.

You will play an integral role in creating a positive experience for the clients of BFL.

You will provide administrative and legal support to each of our lawyers to assist them to deliver high quality family law services to clients who seek advice and support with respect to property settlement, child custody, divorce, child support and domestic violence matters.

Primary Responsibilities

Your responsibilities as a Legal Assistant include:

- You will be the first point of contact with our clients. You will communicate with our clients in person at reception, by email and over the phone.

- Taking appointment bookings.

- Liaising with third parties including solicitors, court staff and the like.

- Managing calendars for court, mediation and client appointments.

- Performing administrative tasks including opening files, preparing briefs to counsel and court documents folders.

- Preparation of fixed fee agreements.

- Reviewing and collating disclosure documents.

- Supporting the BFL team to achieve their work-related goals.





- Assisting lawyers with the progression of client files including organising valuations, mediation, tracking case progress and monitoring deadlines.

- Assisting with legal research.

- Amending precedents.

What we offer

- 9.5 day fortnight for work-life balance.

- Career development budgets and intensive mentoring.

- Structured training with clear progression from Legal Assistant through your legal career.

- Monthly team learning seminars, casual Fridays, and regular team events.

- A supportive team culture prioritises growth, collaboration, and mutual respect.

What Makes You Stand Out

We value integrity, a growth mindset, and a strong work ethic. The standout candidate will:

- Submit a tailored cover letter demonstrating their enthusiasm for family law and alignment with our mission, vision and values (you will find them on our website).

- Highlight relevant experience, including volunteer work or extracurricular activities.

- Share professional references from the past 12-16 months that speak to their skills and reliability.

- Highlight your long-term goals and how this role fits into them.

- Show a willingness to learn and adapt while demonstrating empathy and excellent communication skills.

Other key skills and traits that we regard highly are:

- An interest in family law and a willingness to learn.

- A quick learner;

- A high level of attention to detail;

- Process-driven;

- Organised and valuable time management skills;

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;

- Enjoys setting goals to challenge yourself;

- A passion for helping people;

- Experience with legal practice management software such as Smokeball or LEAP is advantageous but not essential;

- Strong prioritisation skills in high-pressure, fast-paced environments;

- Empathy, discretion and professionalism when communicating with clients;

- Proactive;

- Problem solver;

- A team player.

What Great Looks Like

At 1 month:

- The focus of month 1 is learning. Learning about how we operate, our clients, their challenges, and how we solve them.





- You will understand the ins and outs of the team's processes to drive efficiency from the bottom up.

- You will understand our philosophy around supporting the team and having each other's backs.

- You will become familiar with our different fixed fee agreements and how to draft them to suit each individual matter and client.

- You will start supporting our clients and interacting with clients via phone and email.

At 3 months:

- You are communicating with clients with empathy and confidence.

- You are preparing court documents folders and briefs to counsel.

- You will be drafting basic letters and fixed fee agreements.

- You are supporting our wider BFL team in an overflow capacity.

- You will identify opportunities for process optimisation to increase efficiency within the wider BFL team, in line with our fixed fee model.

At 6 months:

- You are solving problems proactively.

- You are reviewing disclosure and collating index to disclosure documents.

- You are preparing letters and fixed fee agreements for more complex matters.

- You are looking for more ways to further streamline processes to increase efficiency.

- You are setting goals as to what you would like to achieve in the next 6 months.

Our Hiring Process

- Step 1: pre-interview survey;

- Step 2: attend interview with 1 to 2 members of the BFL Team including our Practice Director.

- Step 3: You will be advised of the outcome of your interview within two weeks.

- We read every application and cover letter and make our best effort to reply to everyone.

- We will not read your application unless it includes a cover letter. Why? Because we want to know more about you than just your experience. We want to know who you are and why you want to work for us. We hire for attitude, integrity and potential. Skills can be taught. We want to make sure you are the right fit for our team.

Join Us

At Barton Family Lawyers, you’re not just joining a firm—you’re joining a supportive, high-performing team, committed to helping clients rebuild their lives while investing in your professional growth.

Apply now and take the first step toward a fulfilling career in family law. We can’t wait to meet you!

To apply for this job please click Apply for this job and include a CV and cover letter.

If you do not hear from us by 6 November 2026 unfortunately your application has been unsuccessful.

📌 Legal Assistant (Petrie)
🏢 Barton Family Lawyers
📍 Petrie