- Full time or part-time candidates considered
- Outstanding, supportive culture and excellent flexible working practices within the team
- Broad mix of employment matters
- Plentiful opportunities for advocacy

Richmond Search are acting for a large Victorian Government department in the appointment of an experienced lawyer to its in-house legal team. The team - which manages the department's workplace, discrimination and human rights matters - is a substantial practice, supporting one of the state's largest workforces across a central corporate function and a broad network of frontline operations. The work regularly involves matters that are complex, sensitive and of genuine public interest.

The role

Working closely with the team's Principal Lawyers and Executive Directors, you would provide strategic advice across a broad range of matters and have carriage of a meaningful litigation portfolio. Unusually for an in-house role, there is real scope for advocacy. Key responsibilities include:

- Providing strategic, practical advice on employment, occupational health and safety, discrimination and human rights issues, often on complex or sensitive matters with tight timeframes
- Managing litigation in courts, commissions and tribunals, including briefing external firms and, at times, counsel directly
- Representing the department at mediations and conciliations before the Fair Work Commission and equal opportunity bodies
- Advising on government law matters such as FOI, privacy, administrative law and Ombudsman inquiries
- Drafting advice, briefings, correspondence and court documents for senior executives and decision makers




- Contributing to legal policy and reviewing departmental policies and procedures to identify and manage legal risk
- Building legal capability across the organisation through training, presentations and practice guidance
- Supervising and mentoring more junior lawyers and law clerks

About you

The successful candidate will be a capable and confident employment lawyer who enjoys both advisory and contentious work. You will bring:

- At least three years' post-admission experience, gained in private practice, government or in-house
- A strong grounding in employment and discrimination law. Exposure to occupational health and safety and/or human rights matters would be desirable but not essential
- Experience running litigation and managing matters through to resolution
- Polished drafting skills and the ability to deliver clear, practical advice under time pressure
- Sound judgement and the confidence to advise and influence senior stakeholders
- A genuine interest in mentoring and developing more junior lawyers
- Admission to practice in Victoria

Culture and flexibility

The team is known for its friendly, supportive and collegiate culture, where people genuinely look out for one another and are encouraged to reach their potential. Flexible working is embraced in practice rather than in name only, and the department will consider part-time arrangements of three or more days per week for the right candidate. The position is available on either an ongoing or fixed-term basis.

For a strictly confidential discussion, please contact Shobana Richmond, Director of Richmond Search at [email protected].

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📌 Senior Employment Lawyer (VPS 5 level) - Major Victorian Government department (Melbourne)
🏢 Richmond Search
📍 Melbourne