Do you want your work to make a difference for NSW?

Working to protect the State’s environment and heritage.

- Seeking lawyers with experience in litigation
- Various ongoing and temporary (up to 6 months) full-time roles available, 35-hour work week with Flex Time, allowing additional hours worked to be accrued and taken as leave
- Based in Sydney CBD/Parramatta, flexible working supported
- Salary relative to experience ranging from $119,329 to $134,463 + superannuation and annual leave loading

Join a highly collegiate in-house litigation team of enthusiastic, collaborative, passionate and results-driven lawyers. The Litigation Team provides client focused representation and advice in litigation, enforcement and employment law matters across the department.

This role offers flexible work arrangements, including hybrid working options. While the Department's head office is located in Parramatta, litigation work is primarily supported through a Sydney CBD touchdown office, and regular attendance in the CBD is required for court appearances and related commitments.

About the role

As a Legal Officer within the Department’s Litigation Team, you will work on a wide variety of matters that are often high profile, legally complex and of broader public significance. You will collaborate with experienced legal practitioners to deliver high-quality legal services across the department.

General Legal Officer roles

Depending on the role, you will be involved in:

- conducting and working on a diverse range of prosecutions, administrative law challenges, and other criminal and civil litigation matters with a particular focus on setting, water, heritage, energy;
- representing the department and its Ministers in legal proceedings;
- drafting advice, court documents, directions, orders and ministerial and departmental briefing notes on litigation, law enforcement and employment law related issues; and
- developing and maintaining enduring relationships within the Litigation Team and with Governance and Legal Branch colleagues, clients, and key stakeholders.

Employment Law Legal Officer role

- advising on a broad range of employment and workplace relations matters;
- conducting and managing employment litigation and industrial proceedings;
- providing strategic advice on complex and sensitive workplace issues;
- drafting legal advice, court documents and departmental briefings relating to employment law matters.

About You





We would be thrilled to receive applications from passionate lawyers with expertise and experience in one or more of the following areas:

- providing strategic legal advice on complex and sensitive regulatory matters;
- litigation;
- criminal law
- administrative law and statutory interpretation;
- employment and workplace relations law;
- environmental law;
- compliance and enforcement law.

To be successful in these roles, you will be a highly motivated legal professional with a commitment to delivering quality legal advice and services to clients. You will have strong research skills and a keen eye for detail with the ability to identify key issues and think critically to find strategically focused and evidence-based solutions. Working within a dynamic, fast-paced environment, you will have high-level time management skills, including the ability to effectively prioritise and manage competing tasks to meet deadlines. You confidently engage with key stakeholders and team members to build and maintain collaborative relationships and can utilise your excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to communicate complex ideas and persuasive legal advice and support to varied audiences in a range of styles.

Essential Requirements

- Admitted or qualified for admission as a Solicitor or Barrister in the Supreme Court of NSW and hold, or be eligible to hold, a NSW Practising Certificate.

For more information read the full Role Description: Legal Officer Who we are The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) work to protect the state’s environment and heritage. It leads the way on climate change, driving the sustainable transition to a net zero economy, powered by affordable, reliable, and clean energy.

DCCEEW conserves and protects the state’s natural environment. It manages the NSW national park estate, including its rich and diverse biodiversity and Aboriginal cultural heritage for future generations.

DCCEEW also ensures sustainable management of water resources across the state, to support the environment, communities and industry.





We acknowledge the ongoing custodial responsibilities of the Aboriginal peoples of NSW to care for Country and water and are committed to establishing meaningful partnerships with Aboriginal peoples in the management of the environment.

To Apply

If excited by the information above, we look forward to receiving your application, including a copy of your resume (max 3 pages) and single page cover letter expressing your interest and suitability for the role you would like to be considered for, i.e. litigation or employment law or if you have no preference, please indicate you are happy to be considered for any role.

Please also note, to be eligible for an ongoing role in the NSW Public Sector you need to be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident. For temporary and casual roles, you need to hold a valid visa giving you permission to work in Australia as required by the role.

Applications close Tuesday, 03 Nov 2026 at 11:55PM.

Should you require further information about the role please contact Emma Wei, A/ Principal Legal Officer via [email protected] A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary opportunities of the same role or role type that may become available over the next 18 months.

Our goal is to build a workforce that not only represents but also understands and serves the diverse communities of New South Wales. We are committed to making our state a vibrant and inclusive place to live, work, and thrive for everyone. Our workforce represents people of all ages and genders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities, the LGBTQI+ community, and people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Looking for more information or assistance in applying?

- How to apply for public service roles and prepare an application.
- Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace.
- How we encourage and support people with disability.
- Information and adjustments for individual needs for the recruitment process and the workplace.
- Information and support for veterans transitioning into government careers.

If you require an adjustment for your application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team by emailing [email protected] or contacting (Nivya Shetty name) on 02 9585 6607 or [email protected] (please mention reference number 553737). If you are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, use our Aboriginal applicants guide to assist with applying for roles or our Aboriginal Career pathways team at [email protected] for a yarn.

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📌 Legal Officer, Litigation (Sydney)
🏢 NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
📍 Sydney